Man City fixture schedule becomes clearer but major Premier League call looms

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Manchester City need to have two Premier League games rearranged for the final weeks of the season and the order looks like it matters

Beating Southampton brings more clarity and more uncertainty to Manchester City's schedule for the rest of the season. Pep Guardiola's side have booked their place in the FA Cup Final on Saturday May 16 at 3pm and will now hope that their outstanding Premier League games are quickly sorted.

City know where they are for three of their last five league matches. A week on Monday they are at Everton, followed by a home game against Brentford five days later on a Saturday teatime; on the final day of the season - a week after the cup final - they play Aston Villa at home.

At some point between now and then, they must rearrange fixtures with Crystal Palace at home (postponed from the Carabao Cup final) and Bournemouth away (originally set for the weekend of the FA Cup Final). Palace's involvement in the Conference League semi-finals means that game can only be played in one of the last two midweek slots of the season - either before the cup final or before Villa at home.

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Everton away being a Monday night and Brentford coming on the Saturday means there is no room to play Bournemouth in that week either, while it would be too short a turnaround to arrange anything for this coming week. The trip to Bournemouth, therefore, must be played in the final fortnight of the season as well.

It is here where a major decision lies for the Premier League. Bournemouth are away at Fulham on the Saturday when City host Brentford while Palace are at home to Everton the following day, with a trip to Brentford the week after when Bournemouth are at home watching the FA Cup Final.

City could play Bournemouth first - in what will be Andoni Iraola's final home game - taking the trip to the south coast after Brentford and before the cup final. They would then return from Wembley and have two home games to close out their season in a title race that looks like it will go down to the wire.

Otherwise, they will face Palace at home straight after Brentford at home and then have to go to Bournemouth days after they return from Wembley in the final week of the season. A lot could change with Arsenal between then and now but this would appear to be the more difficult route.

There doesn't appear to be any logistical reasons stopping either option from being picked, which will mean the decision comes down to the Premier League. City's preference looks clear, and whichever route is taken could have a big say in where the Premier League trophy ends up.