Eight Premier League Teams Battle For Possible Five Champions League Spot Next season After Wild Game 36
Champions League football. Just these three words are luring many top-flight clubs. With only one champion possible every season, the other 35 teams also get a fair share of fame, increased football, high-level games and revenue along with participation. The Premier League will have six teams playing in the next season’s UCL. And for that, there are nine contenders. Liverpool secured its place with the top place finish, and now the other eight will battle for the remaining five places. What happened on game week 36 changed the dynamics.
It has been a crazy weekend in the English Premier League. With multiple results rattling the league standings, and also putting pressure on many teams to win their remaining games. Check out every team’s chances to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Premier League Teams Qualification Scenario for Premier League Teams
After Liverpool, the next team to look secure in the race is Gunners. Arsenal football club sit second on the log and following the comeback 2-2 draw at Anfield, remain within touching distance of the chasing pack on 68 points, 2 points clear of third place Newcastle, and only 6 points separates the Gunners from 7th place Nottingham Forest. With two games left to play, Arsenal must return to winning ways as only maximum points against Newcastle (Matchday 37) and Southampton (MATCHDAY 38) will ensure a return to champions league football which seems a pretty difficult ask for a side without a premier league win since the 4-1 win over relegated Ipswich on the 20th of April.
Next up is Newcastle United. The Toons’ chief executive, Darren Eales, in March said the club was not under pressure to keep star players like Alexander Isak, but ending the season without Champions League could change that narrative. Currently in 3rd with 66 points, they also need maximum points away at Arsenal and home to Everton. Newcastle has beaten Arsenal home and away in the EFL cup this year and will fancy their chances again, hoping Home form will help wrap up the Everton game and with it Champions League football next season.
The last season’s Champions, Manchester City, come next. Man City manager Pep Guardiola believes it will go down to the last day after a surprise goalless draw with relegated Southampton, now in 4th place a point behind Newcastle, champions league qualification became trickier as the FA cup final tie with Palace just before the home game with Bournemouth and away at Fulham will ensure a tense end to the season for City.
Nottingham Forest’s match with Leicester City ended 2-2, taking Champions League football out of the hands of the Tricky Trees. Visibly frustrated Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, stormed onto the pitch animated with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, whose side was third at the start of April, 10 points clear of 6th place. And now after the draw? 7th, a point off fifth place.
In the post-match conversation, Espirito Santo pointed to a substitution mix-up involving striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who was adjudged to be fit enough to continue by the physio even though he appeared to be struggling. The Portuguese Tactician also admitted to Sky Sports:
“Today was a hard day for everyone connected with the club.” Champions League qualification was in our control — now, it’s not. But we haven’t been good enough, particularly in defence, and that’s costly.”
Nottingham forest are currently on 62 points but just 1 point and 2 places out of the top 5, with games away at West ham and at home to Chelsea, the nerves of the Forest owners and fans are expected to Rise even more as the club hopes to return to the Champions league for the first time in over 45 years.
Champions league qualification is completely out of the hands of a Chelsea side who sat second on the log 6 months ago, a bit of consistency in team and results had brought the hope back but the demoralising defeat to Newcastle in matchday 36 leaving them in 5th level on points with 6th placed Aston villa on 63 points has ensured a nervy end to the season. Chelsea must regroup and record wins at home to Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in the hope that Aston Villa do not match those results with superior Goals.
Aston Villa on the other hand have never given up hope of Champions league football and despite the absence of mIdfield leader Youri Tielemans, they are level on Points with Chelsea in 6th place, with tricky ties against Tottenham and Manchester United to come, they are combined to win both games in he hope Chelsea and even more of their rivals drop points.
Matchday 36 of the Premier League was Chaotic with little to differentiate all 8 teams in the running for the 4 remaining Champions League slots, as Pep Guardiola highlights, the race for Champions League football in England will go down to the final day.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur with a Chance to Qualify for the Champions League 2025-26
Both sides are miserably placed in the 16th and 17th on the log. Tottenham created a new record of 20 losses in the 2-0 loss to Palace, while Manchester United recorded its 17th loss of the season in the 2-0 loss to West Ham United. Their only route to the Champions League is via the Europa League, which has left Ruben Amorim frustrated as it appears most players have prioritised the Europa League final.
“Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club. We need to change a lot of things. If we don’t change the way we play, perform, and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, just like Marinakis, is well aware of the financial gains of Champions League football as he believes it is worth as much as 100 million pounds with the new Champions League format in place. Preliminary research shows Arsenal have already made 98 million pounds from their Champions League run to the semi-finals, with other fund pyramids yet to be examined by the financial experts.
Both sides will have an input on who qualifies for the Champions League, as Manchester play away at Chelsea and Tottenham play away at Aston Villa
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