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Premier League set for nervy climax as Hull and Newcastle battle drop

Ed Chamberlin looks ahead to the final day of the Premier League season and asks whether Steve Bruce can pull off a "miracle".

We've had some great final days in my short time presenting Super Sunday. Manchester City have twice won the title on the Premier League's final day.

Last year will live long in my memory because of the thrill of being on the pitch for the trophy presentation and interviewing Vincent Kompany plus Yaya Toure and then Manuel Pellegrini, who had the class to hand back the microphone as the players picked him up to give him the bumps.

Nothing, though, will ever beat the "Aguerooooo" moment in 2012. That iconic Martin Tyler commentary still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it.

The genius of it was that crescendo and then the pause, which the late, great Richie Benaud would have been proud of, to let the pictures of Aguero celebrating, shirt whirling around his head, do the talking before 'the voice' produced that famous line "I swear you'll never see anything like this ever again. So watch it. Drink it in". Without doubt one of the greatest bits of commentary of all-time. And the greatest finish to a Premier League season.

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I arrived that day at the Etihad fully expecting it to be straightforward with Manchester City brushing QPR aside. I had a stack of notes for all eventualities in the Super Sunday studio but after 90 minutes most had gone out of the window as I was fully prepared at that point for the trophy presentation to be to Manchester United at the Stadium of Light.

Then Dzeko scored, with Gary Neville stood silent next to me. Then Balotelli found Aguero and I tossed the notes in to the air. I can clearly remember the shock on Graeme Souness' face when we tried to put words to the pictures. Incredible.

What will this season's final day throw up on Sunday? It's Survival Sunday this time around. Will it be Hull or Newcastle that go down? Sky Bet go 1/7 Hull, 9/2 Newcastle.

Hull are staring relegation in the face and the omens aren't good. In the last seven seasons, only Wigan in 2010-11 have started the final day in the drop zone yet avoid relegation. Wigan are the only club in the last nine seasons to escape the bottom three, also doing so in 2006-07. Further, only three sides in the last 14 seasons have escaped the bottom three places on the final day with bottom placed West Brom surviving in 2004-05.

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Hull have to beat Manchester United to have any chance of staying up. Can Steve Bruce pull off a miracle against their old club?

Bruce has yet to beat his old side in 20 Premier League meetings as manager – the longest winless run against United of any opposition manager However, Sky Bet clearly feel they have a chance as they are only 21/10 to beat United on Sunday. Louis van Gaal's still have little to play for as they are all-but guaranteed a fourth-place finish following Arsenal's point on Wednesday night.

Even if Hull win they will need things to go their way at St James's Park. Newcastle are odds on (3/4) to beat West Ham at St James' Park. As Jamie Carragher said on Monday Night Football that's a good fixture on paper but could you back Newcastle to beat any side right now?

Image: The pressure is on Jon Carver's Newcastle.

QPR would be a fixture you would have hand-picked last weekend and they still lost that. Another of the sub-plots to the day to add to Steve Bruce and Mike Phelan needing to turn over their old club is the return for Sam Allardyce to St James' Park, where he did not have a happy time.

If this is to be his last game in charge of West Ham, he will want to finish with a bang. A point won't be enough for Newcastle if Hull win against Manchester United. 

It's going to be one nervy afternoon. You will see it all unfold live on Sky Sports. Both those matches, plus Chelsea v Sunderland, will be live on Sunday afternoon. I won't be throwing away any notes until we come off air this time.

As well as the sub-plots there are plenty of other stories around the country on the final day. Notably it's farewell to the Premier League for Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. As Graeme Souness said on the Super Sunday podcast, these two have been absolute "worldies" that will be sorely missed.

Watch the conclusion to the Premier League season live on Sky Sports on 'Survival Sunday' as we bring you Hull v Man Utd, Newcastle v West Ham and Chelsea v Sunderland. Not a subscriber? Get a NOW TV Day Pass for just £6.99.

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