How Arsenal can overtake Spurs to celebrate St Totteringham's Day again

Gunners head into final-day clash against Aston Villa needing a point to secure third and a miracle to overhaul their rivals

Arsene Wenger (Getty)

Arsenal head into their final Premier League match of the season against relegated Aston Villa knowing they can finish as high as second or as low as fourth.

A win or draw over relegated Villa at The Emirates would guarantee Arsene Wenger’s men third place and a spot in the group stages of next season’s Champions League.

Defeat – surely unthinkable – would open the door for Manchester City to sneak into third place with a win over Swansea City. That would consign Arsenal to a Champions League play-off and pile yet more pressure on Wenger.

A point, then, is the minimum required for the Gunners, but there is also the possibility, albeit slim, of finishing second and maintaining their 21-year record of finishing above Tottenham.

Arsenal have not finished below Spurs since 1995. A point for Tottenham at relegated Newcastle would leave Arsenal needing to beat Aston Villa by a whopping 13 goals.

Should Spurs lose, however, Arsenal know three points will take them into second.