Premier League Champions League race: Manchester United on brink as Chelsea face uphill battle

Manchester United are on the brink of confirming their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023-24 after a 1-0 victory away to fellow hopefuls Chelsea on Saturday.

Manchester United close in on Champions League return

The win moves the third-placed Red Devils onto 58 points, three ahead of Aston Villa in fourth and six clear of Liverpool in fifth. However, it is the gap to sixth-placed Chelsea that looks most decisive.

The top five clubs in the Premier League, instead of the usual four, will qualify for next season’s Champions League. As part of the competition’s recent overhaul, which expanded it to 36 teams in a new league phase, UEFA introduced two additional places each season. These are awarded to the domestic leagues whose clubs perform best across European competitions in the previous campaign.

The Premier League is now guaranteed to finish in the top two this season, meaning the top five teams in the 2025-26 table will qualify.

Chelsea left with mountain to climb

United’s victory at Stamford Bridge means they are now 10 points clear of Chelsea with only 15 points left to play for.

Everton and Sunderland, who have played a game fewer, could move to within eight and nine points of Michael Carrick’s team if they win their games in hand. However, the size of the gap means it increasingly looks as if the famous Champions League anthem will be ringing around Old Trafford once again next season.

Recent results mean Aston Villa are also in a very strong position, now seven points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand, and eight clear of Everton.

Merseyside derby could shape top-five race

The Toffees can boost their hopes of catching fifth-placed Liverpool with a win in the Merseyside derby on Sunday. The reigning Premier League champions go into the game four points clear of Chelsea, having played a game fewer, and five clear of their city rivals.

However, a home win at Hill Dickinson Stadium would throw the race for fifth wide open. A Liverpool victory, on the other hand, could effectively close the door on Everton and Chelsea, leaving the Champions League spots all but settled with a month of the season still to play.

Related stories

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.



Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Trump Asks Elon Musk To Lift Ukraine Starlink Restrictions: Reports

Donald Trump Asks Elon Musk To Lift Ukraine Starlink Restrictions: Reports

Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink. US President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing US officials. The Starlink system was working more normally on Thursday, shortly after

REG – Prudential PLC – Director/PDMR Shareholding — TradingView新聞

RNS Number : 8677K Prudential PLC 03 July 2026   1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated a) Name Naveen Tahilyani 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Regional CEO, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Africa; Group Agency and Health (PDMR) b) Initial notification /Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of

US tourists urged to write wills before high‑risk trips

US travelers planning trips to conflict zones and other high-risk destinations are being urged by new guidance and legal commentary to prepare formal wills and organize key documents before they depart. Get the latest news straight to your inbox! Rare warnings in the starkest US travel advisories Publicly available information shows that the US government’s

Zhipu seeks $4B in Hong Kong share sale after AI stock rally — TradingView新聞

Chinese artificial intelligence company Knowledge Atlas Technology JSC, better known as Zhipu AI, is seeking to raise around $4 billion through a share placement in Hong Kong. The share sale comes after its stock surged following its market debut earlier this year. The fundraising comes as investor interest in Chinese AI companies remains strong and

Sussex crime news query ChatGPT

AI answer engines often bypass local news outlets

Sussex crime news query ChatGPT Research has shown that popular AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini often ignore local publishers, even on queries about local issues such as council decisions and crime. The research by AI search visibility specialists Searchable found that ChatGPT cites national newspapers (18.8%) almost as much as local ones

Medicare Advantage plan cuts: United, Humana reduce benefits for 1 million

Health insurance giants are cutting back on benefits to maximize their profit.  UnitedHealthcare and Humana — the two largest private health insurance companies for older adults in the US — are canceling several Medicare Advantage plans, affecting nearly 1 million people. The two major health insurers are ending specific plans in areas where they make

Horizon Robotics Officially Lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange | 主頁 – 新聞

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Horizon Robotics (HKEX: 9660), a leading provider of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) solutions for passenger vehicles, today officially listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Horizon Robotics is a key enabler for the smart vehicle transformation and commercialization with

France Reports First Ever Case Of Human Shamonda Virus, 1 Dead

France Reports First Ever Case Of Human Shamonda Virus, 1 Dead

The patient suffering from the virus has died. (Representational Image) Paris: French health authorities said Thursday that the Shamonda virus, which usually affects livestock, had been detected in a human for the first time, in a severely immunocompromised patient who died earlier this month. “Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, the Shamonda

Futu Q2 Earnings Call Highlights — TradingView新聞

Futu FUTU reported higher second-quarter revenue and profit as trading activity, client assets and funded accounts increased, supported by strong U.S. equity interest, Hong Kong IPO activity and growth across overseas markets. Total revenue for the second quarter rose 36% year over year to HK$7.2 billion, while net income increased 42% to HK$3.6 billion. Net

Hang Seng Tech Slides 3.4% on China Internet Tax Fears — TradingView News

Baidu Announces Results of Extraordinary General Meeting — TradingView新聞

BEIJING, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU; 9888 (HKD Counter) and 89888 (RMB Counter)) (“Baidu” or the “Company”), a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, today announced that its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “EGM”) was held in Beijing today and all the proposed resolutions set out in the notice

Video: Hong Kong Has A Train That Turns 4-Min Journey Into An Underwater Adventure

Ever thought about what it feels like to travel beneath the sea? At Ocean Park Hong Kong, travellers can experience something similar aboard the Ocean Express, a submarine-themed train that takes them through a 1.3-kilometre tunnel in just four minutes. Scroll down to learn more. Inside Hong Kong’s Underwater Ocean Express Train Connecting the Waterfront

Noah Holdings Limited Announces Changes to the Board and Board Committees — TradingView新聞

SINGAPORE, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Noah Holdings Limited (the “Company” or “Noah”) (NYSE: NOAH and 6686), a leading and pioneer wealth management service provider offering comprehensive one-stop advisory services on global investment and asset allocation primarily for global Chinese high-net-worth investors, today announced changes to its board of directors (the “Board”) and the composition of its Board

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x