The Race For The Premier League’s European Spots Is Heating Up
Every team in the Premier League wants to be crowned champions, but the undeniable fact is that only one can ever make it. Qualifying for Europe is another matter. This allows a total of eight teams to earn a place across the three European competitions, the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues.
European football’s important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there’s the extra revenue gained from playing in the competitions and then there’s the prestige of being seen on the same stage as the big clubs of Europe like Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich.
Of course it’s the Champions League that’s the big one and this year there are four, or possibly five places, available. The fifth place is yet to be confirmed and depends on the performances of the five English clubs still in the European competitions – Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs.
This is because a UEFA ruling has introduced a ranking system that awards two points for a win and one for a draw. At the end of the competition the points for each of Europe’s top leagues are totted up with the two highest scoring ones being awarded an extra place.
At the beginning of April, before the various quarter finals have been played, the Premier League leads the way. So it seems highly likely that that fifth place will be up for grabs and this could prove to be crucial for a number of clubs.
But first, which teams are pretty much guaranteed a spot at the top table of European football?
Liverpool
Many thought that Arne Slot would have a tough job on his hands when it came to replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. But it’s one that he has tackled with relish. This has meant that Liverpool are almost certain to carry off the Premier League title this season at a canter. Of course, not all fairytales can come true so the chances of other titles have slipped away.
Most notably, their Champions League campaign fizzled out against PSG after the two Round of 16 fixtures reached a 1-1 stalemate and their fate was decided on penalties.
Once again, Mo Salah has been the star of the show but the big question is whether he will still be part of next season’s line up, although signs are looking positive that he’ll be staying until 2027 at least.
Arsenal
Also almost certain to qualify for next year’s competition, Arsenal still have skin in the game when it comes to this season. Set to play Real Madrid in the quarter finals this is sure to be a tough test for Mikel Arteta’s team. However they should still be relying on the confidence generated by coming top of their group with a goal difference of +12, the highest of any team. Bukayo Saka remains a goalscoring machine but Kai Havertz has overtaken him this season with 15 across all matches at the start of April.
Both are set to be key players when they make it through to next year’s Champions League.
Nottingham Forest
The once great club has defied everything, including the Premier League odds to find themselves third in the table with nine matches remaining, and a place all-but secured in the 2025-26 Champions League. This is all the more remarkable given their finishing position at a lowly 17th in the Premier League last year having also stared relegation in the face. People have put this turnaround largely down to the influence of manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s tactical changes.
The Forest of this season is a team with a solid defence headed up by Nikola Milenkovic that can also quickly attack through players like Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White.
Chelsea
As you might expect, things become a little more complicated when we get down to the fourth and fifth places up for grabs. Already into the quarter finals of the European Conference League and set to play Legia Warsaw, at home it’s going to be a question of Chelsea holding their nerve over the remaining weeks of the season.
Manchester City
What can be said about City’s season that hasn’t already been noted? This really seems to have been when the Pep Guardiola magic has well and truly evaporated and some really brutal attacks have been launched at him. Fingers are crossed all round Manchester that the team can hold it together enough to scrape through to the Champions League but it’s got to be in doubt.
Newcastle
Hugely buoyed by their EFL Cup victory over Liverpool, it would be a brave person to bet against Newcastle leapfrogging over Chelsea and Manchester City to claim the fourth or fifth spot.
And the great thing is that we won’t have long to wait to see if they do manage it.