Football
Champions League permutations: What Chelsea, Newcastle and Man City need to qualify
Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Manchester City are among five Premier League clubs still battling for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League as the final matchday of the 2024–25 campaign approaches.
With Liverpool crowned champions and Arsenal firmly secured in second, both clubs have already booked their spots in Europe’s premier club competition for the 2025–26 season.
Tottenham Hotspur will also feature in the Champions League despite their poor domestic form this season. Their qualification comes via their Europa League final victory over Manchester United earlier this week.
That leaves three Champions League berths still open, with clubs placing third, fourth, and fifth in the Premier League standings set to join Liverpool, Arsenal, and Spurs in next year’s tournament.
While the top four typically qualify, UEFA has granted the Premier League an additional slot this year due to strong showings from English clubs across continental competitions.
That added incentive has intensified the battle as Chelsea, Newcastle, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest all remain in contention entering the season’s final fixtures.
At the top of the table, Liverpool have 83 points and Arsenal sit on 71, both already assured of their Champions League spots.
Manchester City are third with 68 points, followed closely by Newcastle and Chelsea, both on 66. Aston Villa also have 66 points but trail on goal difference. Nottingham Forest sit just behind them on 65 points.
Goal difference plays a critical role here. Newcastle boast a +22 goal difference, which puts them in the strongest position among the teams tied on points. Chelsea follow with +20, while Villa lag significantly at +9.
Manchester City face Fulham away and only need a point to lock in a top-five finish. A win would likely secure third place, and there’s still an outside chance to leapfrog Arsenal for second, though that would require a heavy win and a substantial loss for the Gunners.
City’s worst-case scenario is dropping to sixth, which would send them to the Europa League instead.
Newcastle are at home against Everton and can clinch Champions League football with a win—unless Aston Villa somehow overturn the large goal differential.
A draw would also suffice if Villa fail to win or Chelsea draw with Forest. A loss would leave them depending on Villa losing or a more favorable goal swing against Chelsea or Forest.
Chelsea head to the City Ground to play Nottingham Forest in what will be a decisive matchup for both clubs.
A win will likely send Chelsea into the top five, barring a goal difference miracle from Villa. A draw would leave them needing a Newcastle loss or a non-victory from Villa. If they lose, Chelsea could still qualify if Newcastle also lose by a larger margin.
Aston Villa must travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. A loss ends their Champions League hopes. A draw could be enough only if Newcastle fall to Everton. A win over United could see Villa qualify if either Chelsea or Newcastle drop points.
Nottingham Forest are the ultimate outsiders. They must defeat Chelsea to even have a chance at the Champions League. Even then, they would still rely on either Newcastle or Villa failing to secure three points in their respective fixtures.
As for Europa League qualification, Crystal Palace are already assured of a place after their FA Cup triumph. The Premier League’s sixth-placed team will also earn a spot in Europe’s secondary competition.
Meanwhile, the Conference League berth is currently held by Newcastle after their Carabao Cup win. However, this could shift. If Chelsea win the Conference League final against Real Betis and finish seventh, the spot may pass down to the eighth-placed Premier League team, either Brentford or Brighton.
The same could happen if Chelsea finish sixth and Newcastle seventh, as long as the Blues also lift the Conference League trophy.
Football
‘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.
Football
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.
Football
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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