Arsenal’s comprehensive victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter Final wasn’t only celebrated in the red half of North London, but also by fans in Nottingham, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester and West London.
The result for Mikel Arteta’s men confirmed the Premier League as the first of two domestic leagues (along with La Liga) to be awarded an extra place in the 2025/26 Champions League, meaning England’s top five teams will all qualify for next season’s elite club competition.
With Liverpool and Arsenal nailed on for the first two spots, the race for the remaining three places is as intense as it has ever been. But which teams will finish in the top 5?
Here’s how the top UK online betting sites see things shaping up.
Manchester City
By their supremely high standards, the 2024/25 season won’t go down as one Manchester City will want to remember. Not even winning the FA Cup (for which they are favourites) will gloss over a campaign blighted by injury and a complete loss of form.
A drop-off was inevitable at some stage, especially after winning 4 consecutive league championships. But the manner of their decline has surprised everyone.
Despite that, Pep’s side are heavily fancied to secure Champions League football, a minimum ask of the eight-time Premier League winners. A favourable run-in and Kevin De Bruyne’s final few appearances in City blue will almost certainly see the Citizens over the line.
Nottingham Forest
What a season it has been for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side. Having finished 17th and escaped relegation just last year, Forest’s rise up the league has been the story of the 2024/25 Premier League.
A remarkable campaign, which has also seen Forest reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, would even have been beyond the wildest dreams of any Forest supporter and even fanatical owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Despite going against the grain of most Premier League teams and adopting a defensive style based on very little possession, Nuno is a few games away from bringing European football to the City Ground for the first time since 1980.
Can they hold their nerve as the race begins to heat up? The bookies believe so, and having defied the odds all year, it’s hard to say otherwise.
Newcastle
After winning their first trophy in 70 years, Newcastle are set to secure Champions League football and cap the most successful season in the club’s history.
A swift return to Europe’s top table would represent more than prestige for the Magpies. The huge pot of cash awarded will allow Newcastle to attract players of the highest calibre and help retain the team’s crown jewel, Alexander Isak.
The Swedish international has his admirers within the Premier League and abroad, but another European campaign could see him stay on Tyneside for a while yet.
Aston Villa
Villa fell agonisingly short in their bid to reach the Champions League Semi Finals, but their run to the last eight has proved Villa belong among Europe’s elite.
Unai Emery guided his side to victories over Bayern Munich, Bologna and PSG while also holding Juventus to a draw, showing how Villa are more than a match for any European side.
Despite a demanding European schedule, The Villains are in contention to qualify for the Champions League through their league position for a second successive season.
They’ll be grateful for the extra place, however. Finishing in the top 4 may be one step too far given the teams sitting above them, but Emery will believe a top 5 finish is still within their grasp.
Chelsea
Results and performances in the first half of the season had Chelsea supporters dreaming of a first league title since 2017, despite Enzo Maresca playing his side’s hopes down.
Second to Liverpool on Christmas Day, and with Cole Palmer unable to stop scoring, the Blues were in contention to at least be in a title race.
But with both Palmer’s and Chelsea’s form falling off the proverbial cliff in the second half of the campaign, Maresca’s men have a fight on their hands to finish in the Premier League top 5.
Taking form and fixtures remaining into account, last season’s sixth place may be the best Chelsea fans can hope for.
