Liverpool and Manchester United are two of three teams vying to take the final two Champions League places this season.
While not confirmed yet, it is likely the Premier League will once again be given five Champions League places for the 2026/27 season.
At present, Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa look nailed-on to finish first, second and third.
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Alisson before Marseille vs Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
Credit: Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu/Getty Images
In turn, the final one or two top-tier European spots will likely go to Liverpool, Manchester United or Chelsea.
Arne Slot’s side have struggled in the Premier League of late, winning just one fixture in 2026.
As a result, they have slipped down to sixth behind Man Utd and the Blues.
Paul Merson explains Manchester United advantage over Liverpool and Chelsea
There are just two points separating the trio ahead of the latest gameweek, which sees Liverpool host Manchester City.
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But speaking in his column for Sportskeeda, Paul Merson has suggested that Man Utd are the ‘big favourites’, in part due to the fact they have no European football to contend with this season.
He stated: “At the moment, I would say Manchester United are the big favourites to finish in the top five. That win over Fulham was a huge result.
“They only play once a week as well, which is a huge advantage compared to Liverpool and Chelsea. So I would have to call them favourites even though it’s still very tight.”
How far will Liverpool go in the Champions League this season? 👀
Highest chances of winning the Champions League this season
Arsenal: 21.74%
Bayern Munich: 17.95%
PSG: 13.24%
Manchester City: 10.07%
FC Barcelona: 6.85%
Real Madrid: 5.04%
Liverpool: 5.03%
Via Opta
The UEFA Champions League trophy is displayed on a plinth before the final.
Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images
2025/26 Premier League table predicted
With 14 games left to play this season, though, there is plenty of time for that to change.
And despite their recent struggles in the league, Liverpool are actually expected to finish above Utd in Opta’s predicted table.
Slot’s men are given a fourth-place finish by the supercomputer, behind Aston Villa, Man City and Arsenal.
Chelsea are backed to take fifth spot, which could be a Champions League place, while Utd are down in sixth.
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