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.

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