FootyChatter.com

Premier League reaction: Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Man City & Nottingham Forest separated by one point as they chase final three Champions League spots Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle: Gunners qualify for next season's Champions League with a Declan Rice winner Also: Forest boost top five chances with win at West Ham | Vardy scores in Leicester farewell | Fulham come back to beat Brentford Coming up: After Crystal Palace's FA Cup win on Saturday, Oliver Glasner holds a news conference at 13: 30 BST, as does Pep Guardiola Get Involved: Whats App on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Written by Craig Nelson, Ben Ramsdale, Ben Collins & Tyrese King Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) Zac, jubilant Forest fan: In response to Chris - a relieved Gooner. Tears? Not a chance. Fought off relegation for the last two seasons, doubled points tally from last season and now guaranteed Europe. Any format will do for me. I don't think there's a football fan in the world that would be upset if Nottingham Forest get a Champions League place. Here's to hoping they pull it out of the bag! Luke, Somerset (LFC fan) The stars didn’t align for Forest completely this weekend but we still have an outside chance of Champions League. Bournemouth and Fulham are both capable of beating or holding City. Man U might turn up at home to hold Villa, especially if they win the Europa final. Forest have already beaten Chelsea at the Bridge, do we have enough in the tank…?

A resurgent Everton could get something at St James’s.

It’s wide open… but as a famous manager once said, “I hope you’re not stupid enough to write us off? ” Garry S - Forest fan Nottingham Forest What they need: Victory over Chelsea plus a team above them to slip up. Who they have got to face: Chelsea (h) Opta's prediction: 29. 3% Last time in Champions League: 1980-81 What Nuno Espirito Santo has said: "It's a good boost of confidence, [being at] the City Ground [against Chelsea on the final day] is another big boost for us, it's going to be bouncing. "We will fight, it's the final game so we're going to fight for something huge for us - something magical. "It's great. Let's enjoy it, it's going to be a good week for us. If we'd thought in the beginning of the season that we'd be playing to play in the Champions League we'd sign it. " Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) So what happens if Chelsea and Newcastle both finish in the top five and Chelsea win the Conference League final? Does that mean the European places they earned for their respective cup wins aren’t passed down to the teams in 7th and 8th respectively? In that case, it’s looking next to impossible for Brentford and below, considering the number of permutations that need to go their way. Mark, Oxford Manchester City What they need: Four points Who they have got to face: Bournemouth (h), Fulham (a) Opta's prediction: 85. 9% Last time in Champions League: 2024-25 What Pep Guardiola has said: "The Champions League is the most important. If we complete that then the damage will be. .. the season has not been good. " Aston Villa What they need: If Manchester City lose to Bournemouth on Tuesday evening, a win would be enough. Should City gain a point or more in that fixture - Villa will need to better the result of one of those above them on the final day. Who they have got to face: Manchester United (a) Opta's prediction: 44. 4% Last time in Champions League: 2024-25 What Unai Emery has said: "We still have work to do. We have to be ready and be consistent. We finished the season here with our supporters and our energy [beating Tottenham 2-0 on Friday]. Our wish is to be in Europe. We still have the chance to play in the Champions League. " Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) I believe that Man City, Newcastle and Aston Villa will qualify for the Champions League. I think that all of these three teams will win their remaining games, and Nottingham Forest will stop Chelsea on the final day. I hope so as well, because, as a Villa fan, it's been great this season to have a taste for the Champions League, and we want to go further next season. On a side note, do you know when they release the TV schedule for the final day? I'm getting a bit worried that I won't be able to watch the drama unfold! Jonathan Well Jonathan, you know you could always follow the drama as it unfolds on BBC Radio 5 Live, then relive it all on Match of the Day 2? Chelsea What they need: Three points Who they have got to face: Nottingham Forest (a) Opta's prediction: 56. 8% Last time in Champions League: 2022-23 What Chelsea captain Reece James has said: "I think that is where the club belongs - in the Champions League and competing in the best competitions. " Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) As a neutral, I would love to see Manchester City drop points on Tuesday to set up a five-way shootout on the final day. But I have a feeling that the tears on Sunday will be at both ends of the City Ground, with Forest and Chelsea knocking each other out of the top five. Chris (a relieved Gooner) Newcastle United What they need: Three points Who they have got to face: Everton (h) Opta's prediction: 83. 5% Last time in Champions League: 2023-24 What Eddie Howe has said: "Halfway through the season we weren't in a great position. We worked hard to get here. It's an incredibly tight race. We have one more game to execute what we need. " Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter We will go through each club in table order, starting with Newcastle United, who are currently in third. Ben Ramsdale has been looking at: Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) Anon: Gary the Villa fan is very optimistic. It’s going to be very tight, all the games are difficult to call. City could have a post-Wembley hangover and slip at home to Bournemouth, leaving a big game away at Fulham. Everton are a tough nut to crack under Moyes and could shock the Toon, Man U playing for pride? City Ground will be rocking - will Chelsea bottle it? What a finish! COYR. Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter Right, we have tried to set the scene for you in this opening hour as we assess the race for Champions League places. Click here to check out: Now, let's look more closely at what each side needs to secure Champions League football, and open the floor to you guys to discuss which clubs are likely to make it, and which will miss out. Craig Nelson BBC Sport reporter The team that finishes eighth - Brentford, Brighton, Fulham or Bournemouth - could be made to wait until Chelsea's Conference League final before they can celebrate making it into Europe. That means Sunday's Premier League finale could be quite a confusing one for many supporters. Brentford, Brighton, Fulham and Bournemouth fans, we have not forgotten about you. While the teams that finish from third to fifth place in the Premier League will join Liverpool and Arsenal in qualifying for the Champions League, and sixth place is assured a Europa League spot, what will happen to the sides that end up seventh and eighth is unclear. Newcastle United, as Carabao Cup winners, have earned at least a place in next season's Conference League. If Newcastle finish in the top six, then seventh place in the Premier League will qualify for the Conference League instead. Now. .. there is a chance that the team who finish eighth can qualify for the Conference League. That will happen if Chelsea finish seventh in the league and win the Conference League final against Real Betis on Wednesday, 28 May. If Chelsea win the Conference League and finish sixth, England will have three teams in the Europa League - FA Cup winners Crystal Palace and the team who finish seventh - and none in the Conference League. Of course, Manchester United and Tottenham fans can also join the Champions League party via Europa League success. The winners of Wednesday's Europa League final between United and Spurs will also qualify for next season's Champions League, meaning there will be a sixth English team in the competition, but that has no impact on any league permutations. With Spurs and United in the bottom five of the Premier League, whoever loses in Bilbao will have no European football of any kind next season. Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) Morning, Newcastle and Forest will miss out on Champions League football, with City, Chelsea, and Villa finishing 3rd, 4th and 5th. City have two games in hand, which they should win. Chelsea will beat Forest, and Villa will beat Man Utd. As a Villa fan, I hope I am right. Gary Statisticians Opta give Manchester City the best chance of qualifying for the Champions League - 85. 9% - because of that game in hand. Newcastle are not far behind with an 83. 5% chance, and Chelsea are predicted to finish there in 56. 8% of their predictions. Aston Villa are given a 44. 4% hope, with Nottingham Forest down on 29. 3%. NB: It is still mathematically possible for Manchester City to pip Arsenal to second place, but they are given a 0. 3% chance of doing that. City would need to win both their two games, hope Arsenal lose at bottom club Southampton on the final day and recover a 10-goal deficit in goal difference. Arsenal's 1-0 win over the Magpies on Sunday, courtesy of Declan Rice's strike, ensured they join champions Liverpool in next season's Champions League. But it leaves Newcastle as one of three teams on 66 points, alongside Chelsea and Aston Villa, with Manchester City and Nottingham Forest on 65 points. City have a game in hand, against Bournemouth on Tuesday, while the other four all have one game left - on Sunday - to seal their fate. Remember, five English sides will qualify for the Champions League through the league, up from the usual four, with an extra place secured because of positive results by Premier League clubs in Europe this season. Get Involved: Whats App 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply) So before we properly get into it, let's get your early thoughts. Which clubs chasing the final three remaining places in next season's Champions League do you think will miss out? Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester City or Nottingham Forest? And how desperate are you to see your club in the Champions League next season? Get in touch via: Please remember to include your name and which club you support. So, as promised, here is a look at the full Premier League table. We will look at the race for European places in more detail, and will explain what each club needs. But from a cursory glance it is clear that the race for Europe is tight. .. very tight. Last Updated 19th May 2025 at 02: 10 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.