Unlikely allies: When teams require favours from their arch-rivals
In one of the most exciting races in years, Arsenal's aspirations rest on the shoulders of their most hated rivals, with Ange Postecoglou's men hosting Pep Guardiola's reigning champions at one of the Spaniard's biggest bogey grounds.
Anything other than a win for the Cityzens will put the Gunners in charge of their own destiny heading into the final game of the season, leaving fans of Spurs in a bit of a pickle as they themselves remain faintly in the chase for a Champions League spot next season: beat City and keep the pressure on Aston Villa in fourth but also allow Arsenal to lay one finger on the trophy, or lose and gleefully watch the world come crashing down over the road at the Emirates?
Unsurprisingly, this isn't the first time a side has needed a positive result from their arch-nemesis. Here are some instances where clubs have relied on a favour from their arch-rivals to achieve glory:
United rely on Liverpool
Under the guidance of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United were on the cusp of a historic Premier League hat-trick in the 1994/95 season. However, their destiny wasn't solely in their own hands.
On the final day of the season, they faced a stubborn West Ham side, needing a win to secure the title.
Meanwhile, Liverpool hosted Blackburn Rovers, managed by Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish and sitting a narrow two points clear at the top.
A sentimental return to Anfield for Dalglish, coupled with the intense rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United, would result in a helping hand for the blue and white shirts of Lancashire, right? Wrong.
After a John Barnes goal had cancelled out Alan Shearer's opener for Blackburn, a pre-Sketchers advertising board Jamie Redknapp sealed a win for the Reds in the dying embers, with those in attendance thinking they might have just handed the title to their oldest rivals.
However, Manchester United themselves were surprisingly held by West Ham. The final whistle blew at Anfield, and with it, Manchester United's dream of a hat-trick was dashed.
Blackburn were crowned champions by a single point, a dramatic twist that left a bitter taste in the mouths of United fans.
Scotland's double disappointment
Scotland's Euro 96 campaign was a tale of woe, riddled with frustration.
Their group stage encounter with arch-rivals England ended in a demoralising 2-0 defeat, a match etched in memory mainly thanks to Paul Gascoigne's wonder goal.
However, their qualification hopes weren't completely extinguished after a win against Switzerland and a decent draw against Guus Hiddink's Netherlands, although Scotland needed a significant favour from their old English pals: a four-goal win over the Dutch side to be exact.
Hosts England, fueled by a raucous Britpop-era home crowd dining out on choruses of Baddiel and Skinner's Three Lions, stormed to a convincing 4-0 lead, raising the hopes of Scottish fans nervously watching across the border.
But then, with just minutes remaining, the Dutch snatched an unlikely consolation goal through a young Patrick Kluivert, shattering Scotland's dreams.
The Scots were eliminated on goal difference, a cruel twist of fate courtesy of their southern neighbours, who progressed into the knockouts wearing a wry smile.
Leeds send the title to Manchester
As the 2002/03 Premier League season approached its climax, Manchester United found themselves fortunate with the fixture list.
Their main challengers in the title race were Arsenal, who were hot on the heels of Sir Alex's side yet again.
Enter Leeds United, not a club particularly synonymous with harbouring friendly feelings towards the red side of Manchester, who arrived at Highbury with plenty to play for themselves as they sought to avoid relegation.
With just three games to go, a loss to Leeds for last season's Invincibles would hand the title to the Red Devils.
The Yorkshire side twice took the lead but were pegged back by Arsene Wenger's stubborn mix of flair players and physical brutes, until Australian Mark Viduka hammered home a trademark thunderbolt in the 88th minute to seal an unlikely 3-2 win for the visitors and an eighth Premier League crown for United.
Considering Arsenal were eight points clear at the start of March, it made the defeat all the more miserable for Gunners fans who had seen their side fall to pieces during the business end of the campaign.
Pompey refuse to play up for Saints
The 2004/05 season finale saw a memorable four-way relegation scrap between West Brom, Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton.
The Saints' survival hopes rested on a win for south coast rivals Portsmouth in their final game against the Baggies.
The big problem was, Portsmouth were already safe and - worse still - showed little desire to help their neighbours out, losing the match 2-0 and condemning Southampton to the Championship.
The scenes were incredible at the Hawthorns come the final whistle, with a jubilant pitch invasion from the West Brom supporters celebrating their survival, and Pompey fans even joining in the party having landed the killer blow on their biggest rivals.
Arsenal hope Spurs derail Fergie's treble
The 1998/99 Premier League season was a nail-biting affair, with Arsenal and Manchester United locked in another fierce title race.
Heading into the final day, United held a slender one-point advantage. While Arsenal comfortably secured their own win against Leeds, both side's fates rested on United's match against the Gunners' fiercest rivals in Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Mid-table Spurs, known for their unpredictable nature, took a shock first-half lead through Les Ferdinand, sending a wave of hope through the red half of north London - and a subsequent amount of dread through the lilywhite side.
However, it was all short-lived.
Manchester United roared back with goals from David Beckham and Andy Cole either side of half-time, securing the Premier League title on their way to a historic treble, a feat never accomplished before by an English club.
The match featured bizarre scenes amongst spectators in the ground, with large chunks of the away end - which featured a banner displaying the words "Let Them Win" - booing when Ferdinand's goal went in, and near enough the entire stadium cheering the result at the full-time whistle. Some Spurs fans even stuck around to watch United lift the trophy.
