In Manchester City’s worst season under Pep Guardiola, their Premier League rivals could be about to hand them a gigantic favour. The Blues have endured a torrid campaign, with injuries and poor squad planning having come back to bite them on the backside.
Heading into the final 10 games of the season, City currently sit fifth with 47 points to their name. By contrast, Liverpool, who are about to be crowned Premier League champions, are a whopping 23 points ahead.
For Chelsea, all things considered, it’s been a relatively okay season for Enzo Maresca in his first campaign as manager. The former Leicester boss has Chelsea one place and two points above City, with both teams in the mix for Champions League qualification.
However, the pair could be given a helping hand by the teams, particularly Arsenal and Aston Villa, still remaining in European competition. That’s because the Premier League needs just one more victory from one of their clubs left in continental competition to confirm fifth spot in the division as a Champions League qualifier.
The most likely scenario would see a top five consisting of Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, City and Chelsea, with Aston Villa missing out, but miraculously going on to win the Champions League itself. If that proved the case, Villa would earn qualification for next year’s tournament as defending champions.
Elsewhere, for seven clubs to be granted entry into the Champions League, one of Spurs or Manchester United would have to go all the way in the Europa League. Given their lowly position in the Premier League table, it’s almost certain neither will qualify for the competition via the league, making the Europa League their last available route in.