![]()
Hello, and welcome to Sky Sports today where we will be covering the final day match-up between Champions League chasers Everton and Bradford Park Avenue.
It's a huge match today, with the title already confirmed and ready to be lifted up by Arsenal captain Aaron Ramsey at full-time it is all down to the top five and the bottom five to provide us with the drama today.
Bradford arrive in Merseyside this afternoon off the back of a home win at the newly expanded Avenue Stadium against AFC Ajax in midweek which put them through to the Europa League Final against Bayer Leverkusen in just three days time.
Meanwhile Everton - one of the newest surprise packages this season - sit in fourth place following a devastating run of form as they lost three matches in a row. A loss today to Bradford may push them out of Champions League qualification, with Manchester United creeping over their shoulder in fifth.
It's a near sell-out at Goodison Park, with 39,591 tickets sold to fans in the hope of seeing their team qualify for the biggest club tournament to offer.
Now we are looking at the stat pack here and Bradford seem to defeat Everton in every aspect. Jurij Dinaburskij - the Premier League top scorer - has scored 32 in 35 games this season, while Everton's top scorer, Abdoul Dia has scored 15 in 32 games for The Toffees. Likewise on assists, Rémy Cabella has 16 compared to Sergi Roberto's 10 assists. However the Frenchman has been given time away from England due to homesickness and won't play a part in today's match.
Out of the five times the teams have met, Bradford boast three wins as Everton only manage one win out of the five with one draw.
In terms of injury news, Everton look to be without Benik Afobe for this game as he is sidelined with a hernia. A real headache for former Everton player and now gaffer John Heitinga. For Bradford, they are without Rémy Cabella who is currently on leave and Luke Lloyd, who is missing out with a suspension.
Here is the Bradford Park Avenue lineup for today:
On the bench for The Stans are:
1. Yann Sommer (GK),
2. Keith Miller,
18. Callum Slattery,
20. Matthew Fletcher,
4. Courtney Holmes,
24. Silvan Widmer and
17. Alen Halilovic.
As for Everton, this is the team that Johnny Heitinga has selected for the massive match today:
[4-2-3-1]:
1: Kim Seung-Gyu,
2: Sergi Roberto,
21: Michiel Desmet,
25: Ramiro Funes Mori,
15: Ali Adnan,
24: Stéphane Pires,
16: James McCarthy,
10: Gokhan Tore,
6: Nathan Redmond,
8: Dani Ceballos and
17: Abdoul Dia.
On the bench for The Toffees are:
35: José Aurelio Suárez (GK),
20: Harley Love,
14: Oscar Lewicki,
18: Miquel Llabrés,
12: Denis Suárez,
4: Fábio Cardoso and
13: Veton Berisha.
Two very strong lineups there from both sides who clearly are desperate for a victory today. It's gonna be an epic, no doubt about it! And today's referee Jonathan Moss will get us underway now.
1': And we're off! Abdoul Dia kicks off the match today by passing it to Dani Ceballos.
2': A quick note on the relegation battle down there, Sheffield United have taken the lead against Tottenham, which lifts them out of the relegation zone! Coronel the scorer for The Blades.
10': Here's the Bradford captain Ben Blackmore standing over a free-kick out wide on the left, looking like he's going to whip one in here. Desmet heads away the cross and Andrew Robertson recovers possession for Avenue. He's passed it to Jack Hallahan's feet, Hallahan's threaded Aldo Ríos through! Saved by Seung-Gyu!
15': Alfred Duncan to take the free-kick over on the left hand side near the halfway line. With so many bodies forward it looks like a cross is on here. It's crossed in deep... Seung-Gyu collects the ball.
His kick lands on the head of Joan Montenegro and it's back with Blackmore. Now it's Ríos. Hallahan has tried to cross one in but it's been blocked by Ali Adnan. It's Tobias' turn now... Headed away. Redmond has it now... It's a long ball over Bradford's young defence and it's now with Dia! Great tackle by Richard Webb, who is normally a midfielder but has to cover for Lloyd's suspension today.
16': Tobias intercepts a pass down the line and now it's with Aldo Ríos who holds up the ball. Jack Hallahan is speeding away and a through ball is played to the Irish winger. Hallahan... It's 3-on-2 here... It's passed to Dinaburskij!!!
GOAL!!! That's a goal from none other than Jurij Dinaburskij! He's slotted it through the keeper's legs there and that's his 33rd goal of the season - there is simply no stopping that man! 1-0 Bradford Park Avenue.
30': It's fantastic news for Everton here as Goodison Park roars with excitement. Newcastle United have taken the lead against Manchester United at St. James' Park thanks to Nabil Fékir's goal! As it stands Bradford and Everton will qualify for Champions League football.
45+2': That's it for the first half! Bradford Park Avenue lead 1-0 at the break thanks to a Jurij Dinaburskij finish in the 16th minute.
46': Aldo Ríos and Jurij Dinaburskij kick off the second-half for us here at Goodison Park.
50': It's delight around Goodison Park once again! Nabil Fékir has scored a second goal for Newcastle against Manchester United and it's 2-0 over in the North-East!
52': Denis Suárez replaces Dani Ceballos in the number ten role.
57': It's time for former Bradford midfielder Stéphane Pires to come off, with the Swiss World Cup winner receiving a standing ovation all around the ground, including Avenue supporters. Oscar Lewicki replaces him.
58': It's a free-kick over on the right-hand side of the penalty area, perfect for the left-footer Alfred Duncan to cross a ball in from here. It's not gone far as it has been cleared to Denis Suárez. Montenegro has missed his header as falls to Redmond! Stopped and put behind for a corner by Emmanuel Cervantes!
62': Duncan with the corner for Bradford now. Headed clear by Desmet but Hallahan retrieves it inside the box... He's put in a waist-high cross towards Carmelo Troccoli... Roberto tackles the Italian but it falls to Dinaburskij!!!
GOAL!!! Jurij Dinaburskij with his second goal of the game!!! That's a real poachers goal and his manager will be delighted with that one! It's 2-0 to Bradford now!
63': Veton Berisha replaces the injured captain Gokhan Tore for Everton. James McCarthy takes the armband off the winger.
69': The match stops for Chabukiani's first sub of the game. Aldo Ríos comes off for Avenue legend Matthew Fletcher. A deafening applause for both players who have both been excellent contributors this season.
80': Roberto throws it to Redmond who has swapped wings for the moment. He is tackled by his own player, Suárez and Robertson takes possession for the away team. A pass wide to Troccoli is cut out and Everton have it back in Avenue's half. A fantastic tackle by Tobias on Lewicki there - he's been a terrific signing. Here's Fletcher, now Dinaburskij. Troccoli has it on the left now. It's Dinaburskij... Threaded through to Fletcher... He's muscled off Funes Mori and now for the epic finish!!!
GOAAAL!!! It's three for Bradford Park Avenue!!! Champions League football is heading to West Yorkshire as Matthew Fletcher adds the finishing touch to their Premier League campaign! And that is Matthew Fletcher's 200th league goal for Bradford Park Avenue! What a player he has been for that team! 3-0 to Bradford!
90+3': We're almost done here as Robertson picks up the ball to take the throw-in. He's aiming it at Jurij Dinaburskij... Full-time!!! It is celebration night in Merseyside tonight as both Everton and Bradford PA claim Champions League football for the 2023/24 season! Unbelievable scenes here at Goodison Park as news comes in that Manchester United have lost to Newcastle and will therefore be playing Europa League football next season!
We have today's Man of the Match with us, Bradford's Jurij Dinaburskij! Hello, Jurij!
Good afternoon, sir!
Just how good does it feel to have taken Bradford to the Champions League next season?
It's a fantastic moment for err.. the club! I know the struggles the err... Mr Chabukiani had gone through to get the club so far into this err... position! It's a great achievement for all of us.
You have experience in the Champions League with your old team, Zenit St. Petersburg - will that previous experience be helpful in advancing in that tournament?
Oh, absolutely! The competition is a massive thing for any err, player to play in it. We must be mentally ready to face tough challenges next year and err.. I think we can do it!
You recently signed a new four-year contract with Bradford - are you happy to be staying put?
I wouldn't rather be anywhere else! This is an amazing club that has been built from the bottom and I'm happy to be a part of their history.
You finish this season as the Barclays Premier League top scorer, what is your key to such success?
Err.. you just need to err.. keep your head down, keep on training your hardest and you will become very good striker! You must also be calm in front of goal and positioning is very important.
Are you listening, kids? Haha, thank you Jurij. You are today's Sky Sports Man of the Match - well done.
Ah, thank you very much!
That was today's Man of the Match Jurij Dinaburskij, scored a brace today and assisted Matthew Fletcher's final goal.
But this isn't where the story ends this season for Bradford PA! In just three days time, the squad will jet off to Holland for the UEFA Europa League Final versus Bayer Leverkusen at De Kuip, before flying into London for the FA Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur! A very busy week ahead for Chabukiani's men.