Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa, pros and cons in Champions League race

The Premier League weekend brings yet another twist, this time as the battle for Champions League qualification begins.

Aston Villa lost 2-0 to bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Friday, becoming the biggest losers after being punished by their rivals. Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Sunday, lifting Unai Emery’s side into third place.

Villa have won just one of their last five league games, but are in danger of being caught out by Liverpool’s chasing pack, who have beaten West Ham five times to claim their third successive league win. The same goes for Chelsea, who are in sixth place without a win in their last three games since losing to leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Brentford are currently just two points behind Chelsea and are dark horses to qualify for European football’s top club competition in Keith Andrews’ debut season. This is because England’s current UEFA ranking means that fifth place is almost certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

There are still 10 league games left until all teams have settled. So, who will thrive and who will fail? Here, Mirror Football writers give their ratings and predictions.

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Andy Dunn

Manchester United are in contention to qualify for the Champions League. Words that would have been unimaginable a few months ago, but are hard to argue with now. The important thing is the amount of work. Michael Carrick has no serious injury concerns and his team is expensively assembled and has talent. Combine this with a schedule of three games over the next three weeks and you can see why United have a huge advantage.

Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal all have to play six games in the next three weeks, while Aston Villa have to play five. United sit third behind Arsenal and Manchester City (top two in any order), with Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea competing for the remaining two Champions League spots.

And with Unai Emery and his players looking a little erratic and off the pace at the moment, it could very well be Villa who misses out. Brentford will keep their top five honest, but will need to qualify for the Europa League as they face United, City and Liverpool in their remaining five games.

premier league top 7

john cross

The magical fifth spot is a three-way battle between Aston Villa, Chelsea and Brentford. You forget about Liverpool and Manchester United, I hear you say that. No, in my opinion Liverpool and United will be in the top four.

And he feels particularly smug after giving United qualification for the Champions League at the start of the season. No one expected them to get there with Michael Carrick at the helm, but come on…

Liverpool are too good, too strong, too strong to survive. As it stands, each team is doing well in European competitions, so the Premier League is on track to finish in the top five in the bonus. Villa is still my favorite, even if its tone has fallen off a cliff. I think Unai Emery is not such a bad loser and has managed to pull off a miracle on a limited budget, even if it means getting away with a handshake.

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Chelsea are still in the team and I think Liam Rosenior is doing a great job, but the red card ruined his chances. They really should be in it. If they don’t, it’s their failure and a missed opportunity.

Then Brentford. I really think they are screaming. What a job Keith Andrews did. But it would be Manchester City, Arsenal, United, Liverpool and Villa.

Premier League remaining matches

Jeremy Cross

The top three are expected to be Arsenal, Manchester City and a rejuvenated Manchester United. United are in good form and are growing in confidence under manager Michael Carrick, but they are unable to capture or overturn the top two.

To help their situation, they are also not interested in European demands. Unlike Aston Villa, who seem to be in freefall. Villa turned things around faster than Lando Norris did, and seem to have reached their peak a few months too early.

Liverpool and Chelsea will likely break out of the top five. Arne Slott’s side have regained some confidence, but the financial impact of Chelsea missing out on the Champions League will likely ensure a top-five finish. Despite Brentford having an excellent season, the underdogs will be just one step away from catching up.

nathan ridley

Sorry Aston Villa fans, I think your team will be missing out. Manchester United play under manager Michael Carrick and do not suffer from the late-season congestion that hampers most clubs, as there are no teams in European football to compete with.

Liverpool have been quietly improving and while their defensive woes are not yet a thing of the past, Arne Slott’s side have the muscle memory to get over the line and get through multiple competitions. Chelsea will be the hardest hit by Villa, but I predict that Liam Rosenior and his team will be eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League. He will be focusing his efforts on the top flight.

Unai Emery should, and undoubtedly will, do everything in his power to bring the Europa League trophy to Villa Park. But as history has shown, victory in that competition rarely coincides with a strong finish to the domestic campaign.

sam mead

When it’s all said and done in May, I think it will be Chelsea who fail to support last season’s top-five finish and miss out on Champions League qualification. Although their quality is high, they have struggled to consistently put together an effective game plan on the pitch.

Manchester United are continuing their good form and are currently seen as solid favorites to finish in third place, given the rapid rise of Carrick’s side. Liverpool have enough quality to get over the line, despite their instability in the middle of the season.

This leaves Aston Villa and Chelsea in a battle for fifth place. At one point, there were reports that Emery’s team was not a contender for the championship, but the team’s decline in recent months has put their place in the top five in jeopardy. The only thing that can keep them above the Blues in the six point buffer they enjoy. If they and Chelsea are level today, the West Londoners will have to cross the line at Villa’s expense, but Emery looks set to start another Champions League year at Villa Park.

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