EPL

5 groups. 4 fixtures Three spots.

Present League Desk

UEFA lately confirmed that the English Premier League (EPL) will get 5 Champions League locations subsequent season. Liverpool and Arsenal have claimed two of them, however there’s main drama forward within the combat for the remaining spots. Put merely, 5 into three received’t go. So who’s it going to be? Listed here are the important thing components.

FIXTURES

Highlighted in daring are the 6-pointer video games (that includes two groups within the hunt)

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Newcastle: BHA (A); CHE (H); ARS (A); EVE (H)

Forest: BRE (H); CRY (A); LEI (H); WHU (A); CHE (H)

Man Metropolis: WOL (H); SOU (A); BOU (H); FUL (A)

Chelsea: LIV (H); NEW (A); MUN (H); NFO (A)

Aston Villa: FUL (H); BOU (A); TOT (H); MUN (A)

Manchester Metropolis and Aston Villa have the best run in with neither dealing with a prime seven staff. However Forest have a recreation in hand and solely face one of many “large” groups within the final recreation. That Chelsea v Forest finale may very well be essential – for each.

Chelsea’s run in is the toughest – their “best” recreation is towards Manchester United. Although a key intangible issue is whether or not Liverpool shall be taking part in at full capability. Mo Salah is chasing information and is a perfectionist, however it’s laborious to be absolutely motivated with the title already within the bag.

FORM

Manchester Metropolis, Newcastle and Aston Villa have received 4 of their final 5 video games. Chelsea have received three and tied two, whereas not all the time being fully convincing; whereas Forest have received three and misplaced two and have been probably the most erratic of the bunch. They bounced again with a 2-1 win at Spurs, however sadly, we’re on the level the place we will say, “Yeah, however it was solely Spurs”.

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Regardless of these 4 wins for Aston Villa, their final recreation was a devastating final minute loss to Manchester Metropolis and so they subsequently crumbled 0-3 to Crystal Palace within the FA Cup Semi-Closing. Maybe worst of all, they misplaced Marcus Rashford — on mortgage from Manchester United—for the rest of the season. It was Rashford’s arrival that was the catalyst for Villa’s successful run.

EXPERIENCE

Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea have been right here earlier than….a number of occasions. Newcastle and Villa have dabbled with the competitors, every having lately certified as soon as. For Forest, that is the primary time they’ve been on this place since 1980 within the glory days of Brian Clough’s administration.

CONCLUSION

Except Manchester Metropolis are deducted factors for his or her alleged breaches of the Monetary Honest Play Guidelines, they are going to qualify primarily based on fixtures, kind and expertise.

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With a two level cushion on their rivals and with banging within the targets, Newcastle look finest positioned to say the following spot.

Now it will get laborious. If they’ll decide themselves off the ground, Villa have the fixtures to have the ability to declare a most 12 factors from their final 4 video games. However they begin from the rear of the pack and it’s a giant ask. One slip may very well be deadly.

The excellent news for Villa is that somebody out of Chelsea, Newcastle and Forest has to drop factors as they are going to be dealing with one another. It’s shaping up that Chelsea v Nottingham Forest on the ultimate day of the season may very well be a winner-takes-all decider.

Participation within the Champions League is price a minimal of $20 million in prize cash. The broadcasting rights usher in much more. And the prospect to play towards the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG is priceless.

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