Race for UCL football: Five Premier League teams in make or mar run-in

Premier League top-five race heats up as Forest snatch vital point, Chelsea surge, and key clashes loom in the final stretch of the season.

The race for Champions League ticket is heating up in the Premier League, who are the two manager who would miss out? (Photo credit: GOAL)

It’s a Champions League night in the world of football, but somehow, the race for the top five in the Premier League just won’t go away, and Forest’s solitary point at Palace could be a huge one at the end of the day.

Murillo’s deflected effort handed Nottingham Forest an important point away at Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football, leaving them in sixth but only two points off the duo of Chelsea and Newcastle, who sit in fifth and fourth, respectively.

With Chelsea having the toughest run-in of the five in the pool for the three slots available, you can’t write the Blues off after the way they dispatched Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Now Chelsea must do the same against two of the teams they’re up against in the race.

The Blues face Newcastle next, with a win away at St James’s Park almost certain to put them in a firm spot above the Magpies; however, there’s Forest lurking in the final game of the season away at the City Ground, and that would only matter if they beat Manchester United at Stamford Bridge before then.

There’s Newcastle, who must do their business at home against Chelsea, and then they travel to the Emirates to play Arsenal before ending the season at home against Everton. If they beat Chelsea and Everton, they’re certain to get over the line regardless of what happens at the Emirates.

Aston Villa isn’t in a good place. Three points off the pace for fifth and two difficult trips to Bournemouth and Manchester United sandwich a tricky home tie against Tottenham; the latter two could be easy if both sides make it to the Europa League final; Villa must win the three to stand a chance.

Manchester City is in the pole position, and nothing suggests they won’t make it to the Champions League next season. The former champions have a date in the FA Cup final against Palace but must beat two of Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham to confirm UCL football for next season.

Forest have easy fixtures on paper, but their recent form doesn’t inspire confidence. The huge one, of course, is the one on the final day in front of the City Ground crowd; they must beat Leicester City and West Ham before facing Chelsea, if they’re in it by then. We would have a huge fixture on our hands on the final day.