Arsenal’s clash against Everton might seem like a deal rubber to the Toffees on face value – but there is actually a considerable amount of cash on the line for the away side.
The title race will go down to the very last game of the season thanks to Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Man United last Sunday, with the Gunners hoping for a first title since 2004.
Everton meanwhile have secured their Premier League status despite being hamstrung by points deductions and a litany of negative stories surrounding their proposed takeover by 777 Partners.
However, those same financial issues are also exactly why Everton will have extra motivation to do Man City a favour and go for the jugular at the Emirates on Sunday.
Premier League prize money: How much is it worth?
Everton earned £120.5m from the Premier League’s central payments system last term, while Arsenal banked £176.2m.
Each club takes home a chunk of the division’s commercial revenue and a set amount from the Premier League’s domestic and overseas TV deals.
Another slice of the TV cash is then apportioned via merit payments, with clubs earning more cash the higher they finish in the league.
Last season’s 16th-place team took home roughly £8.5m from the domestic merit system and a further £10.2m from the overseas pot.
The figures are expected to remain roughly the same this season, so Everton will trouser £18.7m if they can consolidate 16th place.
That compares to a total take-home of around £14.9m for finishing 17th.
Sean Dyche‘s side are currently one point ahead of Brentford, who face Newcastle United in their final game of the season.
That means a win for the Toffees would guarantee them a 16th place finish and an extra £4m in prize money.
How much will Arsenal get for winning the league?
Needless to say, the rewards on offer for Arsenal are far greater than they are for Everton.
The Gunners will scoop a merit payment of £74.5m if they do lift the trophy on the final day of the season, according to the same formula.
For that to happen, they need City to drop points in one of their two remaining games, against Arsenal’s North London rivals Tottenham as well as West Ham.
The financial benefits are not only from prize money, however. If Arsenal win the league they will see a dramatic upswing in commercial revenue too.
When Liverpool won their first title in a generation in 2019, their income from sponsorship and merchandising shot up by £29m, from £188m to £217m.
The Gunners’ global brand means they can expect to profit from a similar commercial boom.
They made £173m from commercial streams last seasons, with overall turnover of £467m.