Final day drama: what's up for grabs

Here we come ... Arsenal are confident of a top-four finish. Source: Ian Kington / AFP

Roberto Mancini's sacking marked a year to the day that Manchester City hoisted the Premier League trophy in the most extraordinary circumstances.

But one year on, we’re heading into a final day where the equation is not quite as titillating as it was when Manchester City slugged it out with Queens Park Rangers last term.

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The title is sorted. Manchester United have already been out on the town, revelling in the afterglow of Fergie’s farewell. Three clubs are already condemned to the drop. Mid-table spots just need sorting for prize money. 

But there’s one fascinating battle sit to be decided. 

Who will join United and City in the UEFA Champions League? 

Arsene Wenger, gunning for Arsenal's 16th straight progression into Europe, is back in pole position after drubbing Wigan on Wednesday (EST), sitting on 70 points ahead of Tottenham on 69. 

If they beat Newcastle United on Sunday, it renders Tottenham's clash with Sunderland redundant.

"I am confident because we have experience. We play for a long time under massive pressure and we have always found the solutions with the problems that we have faced…. It’s a big hurdle, but we’re up for it, we can only give our best, we want to be focused," Wenger said. 

"It is all open, but it depends on our result. Even third place is not out of sight if we win the game."

Wenger is right - Chelsea (72 points), Europa League finalists on Thursday morning, aren't out in the clear either.

And of all the permutations that could take place on Sunday, one could have remarkable repercussions. 

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Man United	37	28	4	5	43	88
2	Man City	37	23	9	5	33	78
3	Chelsea	37	21	9	7	35	72
4	Arsenal	37	20	10	7	34	70
5	Tottenham	37	20	9	8	19	69
6	Everton	37	16	15	6	16	63
7	Liverpool	37	15	13	9	27	58
8	West Brom	37	14	6	17	-4	48
9	Swansea	37	11	13	13	-1	46
10	West Ham	37	11	10	16	-10	43
11	Stoke	37	9	14	14	-11	41
12	Norwich	37	9	14	14	-18	41
13	Newcastle	37	11	8	18	-22	41
14	Southampton	37	9	13	15	-11	40
15	Fulham	37	10	10	17	-13	40
16	Aston Villa	37	10	10	17	-22	40
17	Sunderland	37	9	12	16	-12	39
18	Wigan	37	9	8	20	-26	35
19	Reading	37	6	10	21	-28	28
20	QPR	37	4	13	20	-29	25

Should Rafa Benitez's side and David Moyes's Everton labour to a 0-0 draw, and Arsenal beat Newcastle 2-1 - both clubs will be tied on third with identical figures. 

Same points (73), goal difference (75), even the same goals for (73) and against (38).

Where teams competing for the title, Europe or relegation are deadlocked in the Premier League, it goes to goal difference, then goals scored. If they can't be split, it's off to a play-off.  

That unfathomable scenario - and it is just those results that would prompt it - could force both teams into a play-off, at a neutral venue, for third spot - the final automatic qualification place available. Fourth spot goes into the Champions League qualification stage, beginning in August. 

Looks like Chelsea might need to rouse themselves for one last hurrah on Sunday night - because friendlies against Manchester City in America in May, and England friendlies, make it almighty difficult to schedule another fixture.

The Premier League isn’t the only league run and won heading into the final stage.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights across Europe and what’s still up for grabs. Keep an eye on Portugal! 

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England

Winner: Manchester United

Champions League: Manchester City, 

Europa League: Wigan, Swansea

Relegated: Wigan, Reading, Queens Park Rangers

TBA: Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham jostling for final standings in UCL/Europa race.

Bundesliga

Winner: Bayern Munich

Champions League: Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen

Relegated: Greuther Fürth

TBA: Hoffenheim, Augsburg, Fortuna Dusseldorf for the relegation and relegation play-off spots; Schalke 04, Freiberg, Eintracht Frankfurt for UCL qualifying spot and Europa League positions. 

La Liga

Winner: Barcelona

Champions League: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid

Relegated: Mallorca

TBA: Celta da Vigo, Deportivo La Coruna, Real Zaragoza in relegation fight; Real Sociedad and Valencia tied for final UCL qualifying spot. Real Betis will claim Europa League spot due to Malaga's UEFA ban. 

Serie A

Winner: Juventus

Champions League: Napoli

Relegated: Pescara, Siena, Palermo

TBA: Milan and Fiorentina jostling for final UCL qualifying spot/Europa spot; Lazio and Udinese jostling for Europa spot.  

Ligue 1

Winner: Paris Saint Germain

Champions League: Olympique Marseille

Relegated: Brest

TBA: Lille can still knick final UCL qualifying spot from Lyon. Pending results/goal difference, Saint Etienne and Nice can overtake both Lyon/Lille to nab the only Europa League spot. Evian TG, Nancy, Troyes in relegation fight. 

Eredevise

Winner: Ajax

Champions League: PSV

Europa League: Feyenoord, Vitesse

Europa League play-offs: Groningen v Twente; Heerenveen v Utrecht

Relegation: Roda JC, VVV will contest the 'relegation play-off'; Willem II all gone.

Portugal

Champions League: Porto, Benfica

Champions League qualifiers: Paços de Ferreira

TBA: Everything else

Porto lead Europa League finalists Benfica by one point with a game to play; Sporting Braga will nab one Europa League spot, but Estoril, Vitória Guimarães, Rio Ave, Nacional, Marítimo are all in the mix still; Beira-Mar, Moreirense, Olhanense, Gil Vicente and Vitória Setúbal all can be relegated. 

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Fox 2013-14 lineup to include J.J. Abrams futuristic police drama and Greg Kinnear series

Published May 09, 2013

Associated Press

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LOS ANGELES –  Fox says its lineup next season will include a new drama from producer-writer J.J. Abrams of "Lost" and "Star Trek" movie fame.

The series, with the working title "Almost Human," was described by Fox as police drama set 35 years in the future, when officers are teamed with human-like androids. The cast will include Karl Urban, Michael Ealy and Lili Taylor.

Other series announced Wednesday by Fox are "Rake," a legal drama starring Greg Kinnear in his broadcast network debut; "Gang Related," about an elite Los Angeles gang task force, and "Sleepy Hollow," a reinvention of the classic Washington Irving tale.

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Tina Fey and Paul Rudd deftly blend comedy and drama in 'Admission'

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NEW YORK –  Tina Fey and Paul Rudd are a dream team in the light-hearted drama “Admission.” Sure, one would expect a film with Fey and Rudd to be an uproarious comedy, and while “Admission” dips its big toe into the rom-com pool, it’s more a feathery drama than an all-out laugher. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The two comedic actors were long overdue to star together and seeing them in a more dramatic film is actually pretty great.

Fey is Portia, a 16-year veteran Princeton University admissions officer, and like a talent scout, travels the country looking for suitable Princeton applicants. Complacent, comfortable and a little OCD in her existence, Portia wants nothing to change. However, when she meets John Pressman (Rudd), the owner of an alternative New England high school, her perfect little world is unraveled. 

Pressman introduces Portia to Jeremiah, a prodigy who is eager to attend Princeton despite having a background that is anything but Princeton “material.” Portia is quick to write off the kid until Pressman drops a bomb on her: Jeremiah is her son who she put up for adoption while in college.  With her life now in shambles, Portia sets about to help Jeremiah beat the system and get into the Ivy League school.  

Oh, and of course she falls for Paul Rudd, too.

Fey is in rare form here. She sneaks in her signature and charming quips that made “30 Rock’s” Liz Lemon such a great character, but she also is very convincing during the more weighty and emotional moments. She pulls off a very tough balancing act with such ease. Rudd, too, has been a comedic actor with a dramatic core just waiting to burst out and “Admission” is finally his moment. He has always been enjoyable in his comedies, but “Admission” proves he has much more to offer and hopefully this is just the beginning of a more varied movie career.

“Admission” also stars the great Lily Tomlin as Fey’s reclusive feminist mother. Tomlin is very entertaining as her usual ballsy character and her moments with Fey are a nearly perfect combination of two generations of comedy. Following Tomlin is another great off-beat character actor, Wallace Shawn, as Fey’s retiring Dean of Admissions. Stacking this light drama with a roster of talented comedians makes for an interesting tone, and one that shouldn’t go unappreciated.

Based on the book by Jean Hanff Korelitz, “Admission” also shows the cynical side of the admissions process into a prestigious Ivy League university (Princeton, in this case). With all the backroom politics and elaborate drama that goes into the process, it is surprising Princeton even let this film use its name, not that this little movie would ever deter anyone from applying.

Director Paul Weitz (“About A Boy”) and screenwriter Karen Croner do a decent job at not over-accentuating the emotional moments. The film already walks a fine line between comedy and drama and it could easily get pushed into a sappy overkill, but luckily Weitz and Croner, as well as the nuanced performances by Fey and Rudd, spare us from going there.

The pacing of the film is not always consistent. Portions are plodding while others are brisk and light. Most noticeably is a tacked-on fourth act (though understandably needed) after what feels like a seemingly final third act making the film feel a bit longer than it actually is.

But in an over-crowded slate of shoot-em-ups and creepy-crawlies, “Admission” is a much needed reprieve for adults at the movies.

MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 1 hour and 47 minutes.

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