Soccer-Five clubs chase three Champions League spots in Premier League finale
(Reuters) - The title race is long over and there is no last-day battle for survival but the Premier League season is still set for a thrilling climax on Sunday with five clubs -- separated by three points -- vying for the three remaining Champions League spots.
Champions Liverpool and Arsenal are the only teams guaranteed a top-five finish.
With Arsenal all-but assured of runners-up spot, that leaves Manchester City (68 points), Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa (all 66 points) and Nottingham Forest (65 points) battling it out for three places.
Tottenham Hotspur also secured a Champions League spot after beating Manchester United in the Europa League final, so six English clubs will compete in Europe's elite competition next season.
HOW ARE EUROPEAN SPOTS USUALLY DECIDED?
Typically, only the top four teams qualify for the Champions League but England and Spain earned five spots for next season based on the performances of their clubs across the European tournaments.
With the top-five teams qualifying for the Champions League, the sixth-placed side will now play in the Europa League, with the other spot in Europe's second-tier competition going to FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
League Cup winners Newcastle qualify for the Conference League, but if they finish in the top five, that spot is handed down.
WHO ARE THE TEAMS PLAYING ON THE FINAL DAY?
* Fulham v Manchester City
* Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
* Manchester United v Aston Villa
* Newcastle United v Everton
* Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion
* Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford
With Forest playing Chelsea, one or both teams are guaranteed to drop points.
POS CLUB POINTS GOAL DIFF
1 Liverpool 83 45
2 Arsenal 71 34
3 Man City 68 26
4 Newcastle 66 22
5 Chelsea 66 20
6 Aston Villa 66 9
7 Nottingham Forest 65 13
8 Brighton & Hove Albion 58 4
9 Brentford 55 9
10 Fulham 54 2
WHAT DOES EACH TEAM NEED TO SEAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOTS?
Man City
* Win: Guaranteed top-five finish
* Draw: Would also be enough as their goal difference is far better than sixth-placed Villa if they also finish on 66 points
* Loss: Will not qualify if Newcastle, Chelsea and Villa win their matches
Newcastle
* Win: All but enough due to healthy goal difference
* Draw: Can still qualify unless Forest/Chelsea and Villa both win
* Loss: Will qualify only if Villa lose
Chelsea
* Win: All but enough due to healthy goal difference
* Draw: Can still qualify if Newcastle lose or Villa fail to win
* Loss: Would almost certainly mean they miss out unless Newcastle lose by three more goals
Aston Villa
* Win: Can qualify if City lose or Newcastle/Chelsea drop points
* Draw: Can qualify if Newcastle or Chelsea lose
* Loss: Will not qualify
Forest
* Win: Will qualify if Newcastle or Villa drop points
* Draw: Out of Champions League contention but could finish sixth and qualify for Europa League if Villa lose
* Loss: Would finish seventh and enter Conference League
OTHER EUROPEAN SPOTS
The Conference League winners also qualify for the Europa League and if Chelsea beat Real Betis in next week's final, another team can get into Europe.
If Chelsea finish seventh and win the Conference League, or if Chelsea finish sixth and win the European competition while League Cup winners Newcastle are seventh, the eighth-placed team can qualify for the Conference League.
As things stand, Brighton & Hove Albion (58 points) and Brentford (55 points) have a chance.
In such a case, the Premier League would have 10 teams in Europe next season.
* Champions League: Top five and Europa League winners Spurs
* Europa League: Sixth place, FA Cup winners Palace and Conference League winners Chelsea
* Conference League: Eighth place
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
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