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What Chelsea, Newcastle and Man City need to qualify for the Champions League

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Chelsea, Newcastled United, and Manchester City gained a clearer picture of their Champions League qualification prospects following Sunday’s Premier League action.

Nottingham Forest kept their top-four hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over West Ham, while Arsenal sealed their place in next season’s competition thanks to a narrow win over Newcastle.

Forest’s surprise push for Champions League football had appeared to stall after winning just once in their previous six matches. However, they delivered an improved display at the London Stadium, defeating a struggling West Ham side that had recently upset Manchester United.

Morgan Gibbs-White opened the scoring in the 11th minute, continuing his impressive season. Nikola Milenkovic then doubled Forest’s lead with a powerful second-half header before Jarrod Bowen scored a late consolation for the hosts.

That result moved Nottingham Forest to 65 points in seventh place ahead of the season finale. The club remains in contention to overtake Manchester City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Newcastle United depending on how the final fixtures unfold. Forest’s 19th win of the season reignited their Champions League pursuit at the perfect moment.

Later in the day, Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory over Newcastle thanks to Declan Rice’s curling effort. That result confirmed the Gunners’ Champions League qualification for the 2025-26 season.

With England’s strong UEFA co-efficient this season, the Premier League’s top five and the Europa League winner—either Manchester United or Tottenham—will all qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The table currently sees Liverpool top with 83 points and two games remaining, followed by Arsenal on 71, then Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa all tied on 66 points. Manchester City and Nottingham Forest are just behind on 65, though City still have two games left.

For Arsenal, a single point from their remaining matches will officially guarantee a Champions League spot, though they could still qualify even without adding to their total depending on other results. They’ll face Newcastle on May 18 and Southampton on May 25.

Chelsea can confirm their Champions League place with a win over Nottingham Forest on May 25. A draw might be enough if either Manchester City or Aston Villa fail to win, while even a loss could still see them through if other results are favorable.

Newcastle also just need a win against Everton on the final day to secure their place, though they too might qualify with a draw or even a loss under certain conditions.

Manchester City, on the other hand, need to beat both Bournemouth and Fulham to guarantee a Champions League spot. Securing four points would likely be enough, but anything less could see Pep Guardiola’s team drop into the Europa League instead.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest’s manager Nuno Espirito Santo described the final week of the campaign as one to savor, saying the team will prepare well to face Chelsea. Star midfielder Gibbs-White emphasized the importance of giving their all, calling it a “do or die” moment with Champions League football still within reach.

Paul Merson, a former Arsenal star, stressed the significance of finishing second, saying a late-season drop to third or fourth could hurt the team’s momentum heading into the summer. Arsenal, currently second in the standings, are aiming to maintain that position for a third consecutive season.

Elsewhere, the Europa League spots remain open. The sixth-placed Premier League side and the FA Cup winner will qualify. Manchester City currently hold sixth, but have work to do to hold off challengers. Crystal Palace, having won the FA Cup against City, will feature in Europe next season under Oliver Glasner.

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

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Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

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