AS the 2024/25 Premier League season reaches its final day on Sunday, the focus has shifted from the title which has already been settled in favour of Liverpool to the fierce battle for European spots which remain wide open.
Five clubs, including Manchester City, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest head into the final day separated by just a maximum of three points. They are all vying for the remaining Champions League and Europa League places.
While Arsenal and Liverpool have comfortably sealed their places in next season’s UEFA Champions League, the competition for these remaining continental tickets is intense.
Recall that Tottenham Hotspur have already secured qualification in the Champions League following their victory against Manchester United in the Europa Cup final and Crystal who secured their spot in the Europa League due to their triumph against Manchester City in the FA cup final.
This season, England is expected to secure five Champions League spots due to its superior UEFA coefficient. That has raised the stakes significantly, as even the team in fifth position could find themselves in Europe’s top competition next season, while sixth place offers a Europa League spot and seventh could mean a place in the Conference League.
Manchester City, currently in third place with 68 points, are the best positioned to secure their place. A draw in their final fixture would be enough, though a loss could open the door for others to overtake them, depending on results. Pep Guardiola’s side have shown less dominance this season, and their inconsistency has made this final day unusually precarious for a team that has long been accustomed to early qualification.
Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Chelsea all go into Sunday’s matches tied on 66 points. Aston Villa, revitalised under Unai Emery, travel to Old Trafford to face a wounded Manchester United side.
Villa’s strong form in the final months of the season gives them a boost, but they must better or at least match the results of their rivals to hold on to their European hopes.
Chelsea, despite a chaotic season, have managed a late revival. A win against Nottingham Forest would keep them in the running, although they will also be relying on goal difference and other results.
Forest, meanwhile, with fewer points in the race but have proven to be formidable at home will be eager to spoil the party and may qualify for the champions League spot if they are able to defeat Chelsea .
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Newcastle, riding on the back of their recent investment and ambition to return to Europe, are facing Everton in what is effectively a must-win encounter. Their goal difference puts them in a competitive position, but like Chelsea and Villa, their fate may come down to a single point or a narrow margin.
This chaotic final sprint has been shaped by on-pitch performances and the evolving structure of UEFA competitions. The expanded Champions League format from next season has created new opportunities for clubs on the margins, and England’s strong showing across European competitions has brought in an additional qualification slot. Yet, with everything still to play for, the battle for Europe is expected to go down to the wire.
What complicates matters further is the potential impact of Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph, which guarantees them a place in the Europa League regardless of their league finish. That could push some teams down the pecking order and deny them access to European competitions even if they end the season in what would typically be a qualifying position.
All matches kick off at 4:00 PM Nigerian time on Sunday, and with simultaneous action across stadiums, the final standings could swing dramatically with each goal scored. Managers, players, and fans alike will be watching not only their own matches but also scorelines elsewhere, knowing that the line between triumph and disappointment in this tightly contested race is thin.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.