Arsenal clinched the Premier League’s fifth Champions League spot with a 1-0 win over Sporting CP, giving a big boost to Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have secured an additional Champions League spot in the Premier League (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have received a huge boost in their bids to qualify for the Champions League after it was confirmed that the Premier League will have five spots for next season.
Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Sporting CP on Tuesday secured an extra spot in the Premier League, ensuring the top five teams will automatically qualify for the 2026-27 Champions League.
As it stands, that means Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool are locked out of Champions League football next season. Chelsea remain in the race in sixth place, but Brentford (seventh) and Everton (eighth) could also be in the running for the second half.
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Before Arsenal’s trip to Sporting, the Premier League needed one more draw to break through.
Additional spots were very likely to be secured this week, with Liverpool playing Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, and Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace playing on Thursday.
Arsenal then defeated Sporting 1-0 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, qualifying for the Premier League.
The Gunners took advantage of their home base in north London and headed to the Jose Alvalade Stadium looking to take a step towards the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition.
Kai Havertz celebrates Arsenal’s late winner against Sporting
It wasn’t the most vintage performance, but Kai Havertz scored in stoppage time to give Mikel Arteta’s side a narrow victory.
Gabriel Martinelli’s pass sent Havertz into space in the box, and the German kept his cool to slot the ball into the bottom corner.
The result puts the Gunners in a good position to secure a place in the semi-finals ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
If the Gunners advance, they will face either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in the last four later this month.
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