With the title race effectively over and the relegation places all but confirmed, there is at least one question that remains unanswered as we approach the final weeks of the Premier League campaign: Who will secure Champions League football by finishing in the top 5?
Discounting runaway leaders Liverpool and Arsenal, who are sitting pretty in second, there are five clubs with a realistic chance of occupying one of the three other Champions League spots up for grabs.
The football betting experts at Bet442 have looked ahead at the race for Champions League football, with detailed analysis of all the clubs involved.
Manchester City
Champions League qualification looked in doubt earlier in the season for Man City, when uncharacteristically poor form saw them facing the genuine prospect of not being involved in Europe’s top competition next season.
However, City have turned the tide in recent months and now find themselves in 3rd position after a crucial late winner against Aston Villa at the Etihad. With favourable fixtures against the likes of Wolves and Southampton remaining, it’s hard to see how they don’t make the top five.
Nottingham Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo has overseen an incredible transformation at the City Ground. With many predicting the twice European champions to be involved in a battle at the wrong end of the table before a ball was kicked, they have upset the odds to emerge as genuine challengers for Champions League football.
Following back-to-back defeats, a huge win over Spurs has steadied the ship as they sit in fourth position. With their remaining games against teams with little to play for, they’ll be hoping for a return to Europe’s top table for the first time in 44 years.
Newcastle United
Following a first domestic trophy success in 70 years last month, the Magpies continued their momentum with four straight league wins in April, before crashing back down to earth with a 4-1 defeat at Villa Park.
They will, however, still fancy their chances of making the top five, which would cap off an already memorable season for Eddie Howe and his players.
Chelsea
Despite fan unrest in recent weeks, Champions League qualification would represent a decent first season in charge at the Bridge for Enzo Maresca.
With the Europa Conference League still to contend with and a tricky run of Premier League fixtures remaining, they still have a lot of work to do if their Champions League aspirations are to be realised.
Aston Villa
Having experienced an exhilarating Champions League campaign this time around, Villa will be desperate to book their spot in the competition for the 2025/26 season.
They do, of course, have a very important match against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final coming up, and it will be interesting to see whether progression in that competition affects their league form.
Could There Be Final-Day Drama?
With just four points separating Man City in 3rd and Aston Villa in 7th, the race for Champions League football may go right to the wire. All eyes are likely to be on the City Ground on the final day with Nottingham Forest taking on Chelsea in what could prove to be a crucial encounter.
