Manchester United strengthened their hold on a Champions League qualifying spot with three points against Aston Villa on Sunday
Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro celebrate during Manchester United vs Aston Villa
Manchester United still have Champions League qualification in their own hands(Image: Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Manchester United’s Champions League qualification hopes haven’t looked this bright for some time. They won on Sunday while direct rivals Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea all failed to do so.
Michael Carrick took over in January with United seventh in the league, three points outside the top four and 11 adrift of Villa in third. They have now made up the gap to Unai Emery’s side and sit third themselves after a return of 22 points from Carrick’s first nine games in charge.
The top four finishers in the Premier League will be guaranteed a spot in next season’s Champions League, while there might also be a fifth spot. This will depend on how well English clubs perform in Europe this term, with none of the nine sides in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League assured of progress to the quarter-finals after their first legs.
United’s fate is very much in their own hands, though. We have taken a look at how their remaining fixtures compare to that of their closest challengers to get a feel for how early they might be able to secure a top-four finish.
Manchester United
Unlike their rivals, United don’t have any remaining European distractions. They are also already out of the FA Cup, meaning their eight league matches are their only responsibilities between now and May.
Action from Manchester United 4-4 Bournemouth in December 2025
United and Bournemouth drew 4-4 in their reverse fixture in December(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Bournemouth (a) is their one remaining match before the international break, while they will face Leeds (h), Chelsea (a) and Brentford (h) in April. May begins with a match against Liverpool (h), followed by Sunderland (a), Nottingham Forest (h) and Brighton (a).
United currently have a five-point advantage over Liverpool and a six-point lead over Chelsea. This means victories in the next six games would lock in a top-four finish as soon as the weekend of May 9 even if either of Liverpool and Chelsea - who face one another on that very weekend - win all their other games.
It’s possible for Carrick’s team to seal fourth spot even sooner if other teams drop points along the way. With that in mind, here’s what lies ahead for the teams currently in fourth, fifth and sixth.
Aston Villa
Action from Liverpool vs Aston Villa in November 2025
Villa's match against Liverpool could have a big bearing on the top four race(Image: Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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A run of eight straight wins in November and December lifted Villa into title contention. However, they have won just three of their 12 matches since the turn of the year to drop back into the pack.
Unai Emery’s side face West Ham (h) and Nottingham Forest (a) either side of the international break in two matches which could affect things at both ends of the table. After that comes Sunderland (h) and Fulham (a), two teams who will know by then whether a late European run of their own is realistic.
They round off the season against Tottenham (h), Burnley (a), Liverpool (h) and Manchester City (a). Those last two games could prove critical, though it remains to be seen whether City will still be able to catch league leaders Arsenal on the final day, while Villa could also find themselves playing two games per week in May if they progress in the Europa League.
Liverpool
Action from Liverpool vs Everton in September 2025
Liverpool have a Merseyside Derby on the horizon(Image: Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Liverpool face Brighton (a) and Fulham (h) in their next two matches, followed by a Merseyside Derby against Everton (a). Their final April fixture comes against Crystal Palace (h), an opponent they haven’t beaten in any of the last four Anfield meetings in league and cup.
They face all of their closest rivals for Champions League qualification in May. After Manchester United (a) comes Chelsea (h) and Aston Villa (a), followed by a season closer against Brentford (h), with Keith Andrews’ side currently sat seventh in the table.
Liverpool could also have cup distractions - domestic and European - during that run. They are looking to overturn a one goal deficit against Galatasaray in the Champions League and have been drawn against Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Action from Man Utd vs Chelsea in 2025
Chelsea will welcome Manchester United to West London in April(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea won their first four league games under their new manager but just one of the next five. They have a chance to rebound from Saturday’s defeat to Newcastle when they face Everton (a) before the international break, after which things don’t get much easier.
April begins with a Stamford Bridge double header against Manchester City (h) and Manchester United (h), followed by Brighton (a). Three of their four May matches come against teams currently in the bottom half, with the fixture calendar throwing up meetings with Nottingham Forest (h), Liverpool (a), Tottenham (h) and Sunderland (a).
Like Liverpool, Chelsea are still alive in the FA Cup and Champions League. A home tie against Port Vale in the former represents a friendly draw, though overturning a three-goal deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in Europe will be a tall order.