The Race for Champions League Spots Heats Up in the Premier League
- The battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League is intensifying with two places up for grabs
- Chelsea, Manchester City, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest are the leading contenders for the top four
- England could earn five Champions League spots next season, with several teams in contention
The race for the Champions League places in the Premier League is heating up. On matchday 25, the leading contenders to finish in the top four – Chelsea, Manchester City, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa – registered mixed results.
How the Top Four Contenders Performed
Manchester City’s title defense is in tatters, and their only goal this season could be to secure a top-four finish. On matchday 25, they hammered another top-four contender, Newcastle, 4-0, thanks to Omar Marmoush’s hat-trick. Pep Guardiola’s side are now fourth in the table with 44 points after 25 matches and will host Liverpool in their next fixture.
Chelsea, on the other hand, continued to slip down the table after losing to Brighton for the second time in a week. After being seen as potential champions, they are now sixth, having won just two of their last nine games.
Nottingham Forest remains third with 47 points despite their defeat to Fulham on Saturday. As Nuno Espirito Santo stated, “it’s day by day, we didn’t achieve anything yet. We will work to the end to see what’s possible. We are doing well but nothing changes in our approach. We know our strengths and weaknesses, let’s play the games.”
Bournemouth’s excellent season continued with a comfortable 3-2 win over struggling Southampton. They are fifth with 43 points. Despite a busy January in the transfer market, Aston Villa failed to beat 10-man Ipswich and will look to bounce back against Liverpool on Wednesday.
Opta Supercomputer Predicts Premier League Top Four
Opta’s supercomputer has predicted that the Premier League could earn five Champions League spots next season. Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United are favorites to win a European Cup this season, meaning the race could be for the top five places rather than the usual top four.
The supercomputer has given Manchester City an 89.9% chance of making the top five and a 78.1% chance of finishing in the top four. Nottingham Forest has a 40% and 60.1% chance to finish in the top four and top five, respectively.
Chelsea’s chances of a top-four finish are 31.5%, and for a top-five finish, they are 53%. Bournemouth has 30.3% and 51.8%, while Newcastle has 16.8% and 33%. Brighton, Aston Villa, and Fulham have less than 5% of finishing in the top five.
Don’t miss the latest updates on the Premier League race for Champions League spots. Stay tuned for more insights and predictions from the Opta supercomputer.
