In this Premier League 2024-25 there are few clear things … but one of them is that Liverpool (one more game) and Arsenal have quite a few on track play the next Champions League. Without entering the debate of who will be champion (the ‘pool’ has it in his hand), the final stretch of the English championship presents a spectacular race to see who accompany them in the 2025-26 Champions League: There are seven teams in seven points!
The good news for the Premier is that everything indicates that the fifth classified will also go to the next Champions League. Therefore, without counting Liverpool and Arsenal, there are three quotas to be distributed among seven teams in the fight: Nottingham Forest (47 points), Manchester City (44), Newcastle (44), Bournemouth (43), Chelsea (43 ), Aston Villa (42, with one more game) and Brighton (40). If we add to Fulham (39 points), we could talk about up to eight teams in the fight for three places.
And three of them, with Spanish coach: Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City). In addition, Mikel Arteta in Arsenal.
But none of the equipment ‘in the mess’ is 100% reliable. With Manchester United and Tottenham out of the race (33 points the Spurs, 30 the ‘Red Devils’), there are other more ‘modest’ teams (if that adjective were applicable to a Premier team) that they want to take advantage of their opportunity. No one, however, is able to get close to the head group that form Liverpool and Arsenal.
Forest, great revelation of the season in England, continues third despite having lost three of its last four games; The City has conceded two losses in its last three premier meetings … and the Newcastle, fifth, three in its last five.
Not to mention Chelsea: three of his last four games are defeats. An irregularity that can be extended to Bournemouth (two of its last three games, lost) OA Aston Villa (a victory in the last five days) … Anyone would say that nobody wants to qualify for Champions!
So much incosistency has caused the Brighton, with two consecutive victories, to ‘hook’ the race for the Champions League. And on the way is an intersemanal day with interesting duels … and direct.
Brighton – Bournemouth (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m.)
Chelsea – Southampton (Tuesday, 9:15 p.m.