Leicester City’s David Nugent keeping the ball away from Jose Fonte, of Southampton, during a Premier League match last week.Leicester City’s David Nugent keeping the ball away from Jose Fonte, of Southampton, during a Premier League match last week.

At the summit of the Premier League, the champions and the three other Champions League candidates are now settled.

Down at the bottom matters are different though.

Burnley and Queens Park Rangers are doomed with two matches remaining but the third side going down to The Championship is not decided yet with a handful of teams still in trouble.

Two of these strugglers are Leicester City, who have staged a superb comeback from bottom place and the relegation zone in this last phase of the champion-ship, and Sunderland.

Manager of the month, Nigel Pearson of Leicester, deservedly received many an accolade for the way he transformed the Foxes.

Leicester are not home and dry yet, but a scorching run of six wins from their last seven matches will give the side the boost needed to sustain their status.

Sunderland sacked Gus Poyet in March and appointed Dutchman Dick Advocaat whose wealth of experience is finally working wonders at the Stadium of Light.

Back-to-back wins (for the first time this season) against South-ampton at home and away at Everton have given Advocaat’s team more breathing space. The Black Cats are just a point behind the Foxes in the standings.

This afternoon at the Stadium of Light the outcome of the two sides will shed more light on who is to stay up.

Poyet recently admitted he is more nervous watching the Black Cats now than when he was in charge, and desperately wants them to stay in the Premier League.

Pearson was delighted to see his players deal with the pressure and beat European football chasers Southampton 2-0 last week while heaping praise on former Inter great Esteban Cambiasso who adapted himself perfectly to a relegation dogfight in his first year in English football.

The outcome of the last ten fixtures in the top flight between Sunderland and Leicester denote a balance with three wins each.

Premier League
2002: Sunderland-Leicester - 2-1
2000: Sunderland-Leicester - 0-0
1999: Sunderland-Leicester - 2-0
1996: Sunderland-Leicester - 0-0

Division One (old)
1984: Sunderland-Leicester - 0-4
1983: Sunderland-Leicester - 1-1
1981: Sunderland-Leicester - 1-0
1976: Sunderland-Leicester - 0-0
1966: Sunderland-Leicester - 2-3
1966: Sunderland-Leicester - 0-3

On Monday, champions Chelsea travel to the Midlands to play guests to West Brom.

The Blues will be in search of their 12th away win. John Terry scored his team’s only goal against Liverpool to become the Premier League’s all-time top scoring defender with 39 goals.

At Old Trafford, Manchester United duel with Arsenal for prestige if nothing else.

The Red Devils returned to winning form after losing three league games on the trot with victory over Crystal Palace. This week Arsenal failed to stretch their undefeated record as Swansea had other ideas and did the double over the Gunners with a 1-0 win.

After the annihilation of QPR (6-0), second-placed Manchester City play Swansea at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini claims there is still a lot more improvement to come from striker Sergio Aguero despite seeing him bagging 31 goals from 40 games this season.

Reports this week said City are willing to make Paul Pogba the highest paid player in their club history if he joins them from Juventus this summer.

At Anfield, the Liverpool fans will be giving a great sending-off to club hero Steven Gerrard in the home match against Crystal Palace and in London QPR cross swords with Newcastle, who are not in safe waters yet.

Fixtures and forecast

Premier League
Burnley-Stoke City - 2
Liverpool-C. Palace (17:30) - 1
QPR-Newcastle - 2
Southampton-A. Villa (13:45) - 1
Sunderland-Leicester City - X
Tottenham-Hull City - 1
West Ham-Everton - X

Tomorrow:
Man. United-Arsenal (17:00) - X
Swansea-Man. City (14:30) - 2

Monday:
West Brom-Arsenal (21:00) - 2

The Championship
Play-off semi-finals, 2nd leg
Norwich-Ipswich (13.15) - X
Scottish Premiership
Dundee FC-Aberdeen - 2
Inverness-Dundee United - 1
Partick-Kilmarnock - 1
Ross County-Hamilton - X
St Mirren-Motherwell - X

Scottish Championship
Qualification, 2nd legs (tomorrow)
Rangers vs Q’ of South (16.30) - 1
Alloa vs Forfar (18.30) - 1

League One
Qualification, 2nd leg
Stenhousemuir vs Queen’s Park - 1

League Two
Qualification, 2nd leg
Montrose vs Brora Rangers - X

Hot four: Liverpool, Stoke City, Southampton, Tottenham.

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