Four Manchester City players to say goodbye on final EPL Match at Ethihad stadium 

Four Manchester City players to say goodbye on final EPL Match at Ethihad stadium 

Manchester City face their final fixture of the Premier League season when they host West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City

Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City

All eyes will be on the Premier League title race on Sunday as the season comes down to the final day. Manchester City will be champions if they beat Arsenal, and anything less will open the door for the Gunners to overtake them.

 

City have the FA Cup final after that, and will only be focussed on the two games that could see them secure another double. Last season, the run-in was overshadowed by Ilkay Gundogan’s contract situation, which was unresolved until it was too late and the German left for Barcelona.

 

The Blues have worked to ensure there are no similar out-of-contract situations this year, with Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva among those given extensions over the last 12 months. Only Scott Carson, the third-choice goalkeeper, is at the end of his current deal this month.

 

That doesn’t mean there will be no departures this summer, however, with speculation already beginning about the futures of some players.

 

Stefan Ortega will start in goal after Ederson’s injury blow, and the German has admitted he could look to leave City this summer in search of more playing time. Ortega was the hero at Tottenham on Tuesday, earning high praise from Pep Guardiola – but he has left a decision on his future until the end of the campaign. His second child is on the way, so his decision will be made for family reasons as well as footballing ones.

 

If Sunday is to be his final Etihad outing, his heroics in midweek will earn him a fine send-off. The majority inside the stadium will hope it is not the final time he plays at home.

 

Sergio Gomez will collect a Premier League medal if City win the title, however he only has 47 minutes of action in the league and remains firmly on the periphery. He may not even make the matchday squad if everyone else is fit, and will face a decision over the summer whether to stay and try and fight for his place or leave to kick-start his career.

 

Kalvin Phillips is another who will surely leave at the end of the season, either on loan or permanently if City can find a buyer. Phillips is on loan at Sunday’s opponents West Ham and is injured so wouldn’t have played even if he was eligible to face his parent club. If he was to make an appearance in any post-match celebrations, it could potentially be his final action as a City player.

 

 

 

Elsewhere, a decision will need to be taken on Carson’s future, while speculation over Bernardo has continued despite his contract extension last summer. A reported £50m release clause could see Bernardo in demand over the transfer window amid his long-held desire to move somewhere closer to his native Portugal.

 

Likewise, there are other loose rumours over Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker, although it would be a surprise if any of those players were to leave.