Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge the favourite to sign off with a bang

Liverpool’s season seems to have got better the longer it has gone on, and their in-form forward Daniel Sturridge can ensure that all ends well against Queens Park Rangers at Anfield on Sunday.

Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the 3-1 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend, Sturridge is the 18/1 favourite with Ladbrokes to score the last goal of the 2012/13 season when he faces Harry Redknapp’s relegated Rangers.

The former Chelsea man has flourished in recent weeks in the absence of the banned Luis Suarez, scoring twice in the 6-0 win at Newcastle before his one-man demolition job on Fulham.

The third goal of his hat-trick in west London was timed on 85 minutes, ensuring that only Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand and Norwich’s Jonny Howson struck later in their matches on Sunday.

Liverpool have scored in the final quarter of an hour in three of their last four games, and with Brendan Rodgers’ side no doubt going all out for a win in veteran defender Jamie Carragher’s last match before retirement, they are likely to turn to Sturridge to provide the goals.

Elsewhere, the Premier League’s top scorer Robin van Persie is 28/1 to fire the last goal of the campaign when Manchester United go to West Brom in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game in charge.

Gareth Bale – who scored late on in Tottenham’s previous home game against Southampton – is 22/1 to become the last man to hit the net this season when Sunderland come to White Hart Lane, while Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is the same price as he takes on Norwich at the Etihad Stadium, the scene of his famous late goal which won the title last season.

While there is the possibility of a Chelsea v Arsenal play-off to decide third place, this market is only taking into account Sunday’s matches, with Gunners hotshot Theo Walcott 33/1 to bring down the curtain on the campaign with the final goal away at Newcastle, against whom he completed a hat-trick with stoppage time goal in December..

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard – fresh from celebrating his new contract – is 66/1 to fire last this season as Chelsea host Everton.