The race for Champions League qualification looks set to be the big talking point across the final four weeks of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Liverpool have already been crowned champions and the bottom three is decided, with Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich all relegated.
But who will finish in the top five as Newcastle, Man City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest battle for the three available spots between third place and fifth?
Well, after a big missed opportunity from one of our rivals last night, Newcastle’s hopes of securing a place have only increased heading into another busy weekend of Premier League football.
Rivals suffer Thursday night setback
After their FA Cup semi-final clash with Man City last weekend, Nottingham Forest played their game in hand on Thursday night; a home clash with Brentford and chance to move back up to third.
Starting the night on 60 points, they’d have leapfrogged Newcastle (62), Man City (61) and Chelsea (60) with a win – but it was another damaging home defeat for the Reds, who’ve now lost three of their last four league games.
After losing 1-0 to Everton in their last home game at the City Ground, goals from Brentford’s Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa either side of the break helped Thomas Frank’s side to a 2-0 win.
As the updated Premier League table shows below, this result keeps Newcastle in third, two clear of Forest on the same number of games played and with superior goal difference.
Remaining fixtures
Forest’s next game is a tricky trip to Crystal Palace on Monday night, 24 hours after Newcastle’s visit to Brighton and Chelsea’s home clash with Liverpool.
Man City face Wolves at the Etihad tonight, while Aston Villa take on Fulham in a must-win game at Villa Park in Saturday’s 12.30pm kick off.
Here’s our remaining four fixtures compared to our top-five rivals:
Newcastle – Brighton (A), Chelsea (H), Arsenal (A), Everton (H)
Man City – Wolves (H), Southampton (A), Bournemouth (H), Fulham (A)
Chelsea – Liverpool (H), Newcastle (A), Man Utd (H), Nottingham Forest (A)
Nottingham Forest – Crystal Palace (A), Leicester (H), West Ham (A), Chelsea (H)
Aston Villa – Fulham (H), Bournemouth (A), Tottenham (H), Man Utd (A)
