Premier League top-four race: What Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Man Utd need to reach Champions League
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Updated 22/04/2019 at 21:32 GMT
Chelsea failed to fully to capitalise on weekend defeats for Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United, but who is in pole position to join Liverpool and Manchester City in next season’s Champions League?
Eden Hazard, Chelsea
Image credit: Getty Images
A draw at home to Burnley on Monday saw Chelsea move up to fourth, but it is north London duo Tottenham and Arsenal who remain in control of their own fate.
Spurs and Arsenal know maximum points in their final four games will guarantee a top-four spot, and they will both look to boost their chances by winning their respective game in hands in midweek.
Remaining fixtures
- Spurs (67pts) : Brighton (H), West Ham (H), Bournemouth (A), Everton (H)
- Chelsea (67pts): Man Utd (A), Watford (H), Leicester (A)
- Arsenal (66pts): Wolves (A), Leicester (A), Brighton (H), Burnley (A)
- Man Utd (64pts): Man City (H), Chelsea (H), Huddersfield (A), Cardiff (H)
On Tuesday, Spurs – who play three of their final four league games at home – host Brighton, while Arsenal – who have three away games left – travel to Wolves on Wednesday.
A potentially crucial top-four encounter sees United host Chelsea on Sunday – that comes after Spurs host West Ham on Saturday and Arsenal head to Leicester earlier on the Sunday.
But with Spurs facing Ajax in the Champions League semi-finals, and both Arsenal and Chelsea in the Europa League last four, it may not be as simple as a top-four spot guaranteeing the Champions League…
Will fourth be enough?
Spurs missed out on a Champions League spot in 2012 despite finishing fourth after sixth-placed Chelsea won the Champions League.
This time around, the only way of a club finishing fourth and not qualifying for the tournament is if Spurs finish outside the top four and win the Champions League AND if Arsenal or Chelsea win the Europa League and finish outside the top four.
Teams who win the Champions League and Europa League are guaranteed a spot in next season’s Champions League.
That means five English teams could yet reach the group stages, as was the case when Manchester United won the Europa League and finished outside the top four, but that all depends on how Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea fare in Europe and domestically.
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