6 games in 5 days could make or break Champions League qualifying race – It is relentless | OneFootball

With the Champions League qualifying race, it is the lull before the storm.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Aston Villa competing for the remaining three places in the 2025/26 competition.

There were only two games last Saturday/weekend that impacted the race for Champions League – Chelsea 1 Everton 0 and Newcastle 3 Ipswich 0.

As I say, lull before the storm, as it is a five day gap between those last Saturday matches and the next one on Thursday (1 May) that involves CL chasers, that Forest v Brentford match kicking off five days in a row when there is at least one match each day involving Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

Then another five day wait before it all kicks off again on Saturday 10 May, that gap filled by current season European competitions with semi-final ties concluded.

This is how the Premier League table currently stands for the five Champions League chasers:

62 points Newcastle United (Played 34) GD +21

61 points Man City (Played 34) Goal Difference +23

60 points Chelsea (Played 34) GD +19

60 points Forest (Played 33) GD +14

57 points Villa (Played 34) GD +5

These are the imminent six matches in five days involving the CL hopefuls:

Thursday 1 May

Forest v Brentford (7.30pm)

Friday 2 May

Man City v Wolves (8pm)

Saturday 3 May

Villa v Fulham (12.30pm)

Sunday 4 May

Brighton v Newcastle (2pm)

Chelsea v Liverpool (4.30pm)

Monday 5 May

Palace v Forest (8pm)

This concentrated period of matches could prove make or break for one or more of the five Premier League clubs.

This especially applies to Forest for example, two games only four days apart. Two wins would take them to 66 points and if other results went their way, you would have to say they were almost there. Alternatively, a couple of defeats for them, or even one defeat and one draw, then if other results go against them as well, they would suddenly become an outsider to get one of the three places. I know it isn’t a new thing but it is all a bit mad that you play so many matches over nine months and then your season could rest on a couple of games only four days apart. Forest of course potentially handicapped by the fact that they got so far in the FA Cup, which means having to play these games now in quick succession.

You have to also think that if Aston Villa make it three defeats in a row (in all competitions) and other results go against them, then their chances could be dangling by a thread. Even a draw at home to Fulham could look potentially fatal if their rivals win their matches in the coming days.

The feast and famine in terms of matches affecting the final three Champions League spots, sees these six games in five days, then you have four matches on the very final day (25 May) of the season. Yet the nineteen days in between have only nine games involving Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

Saturday 10 May

Southampton v Man City (3pm)

Bournemouth v Villa (5.30pm)

Sunday 11 May

Newcastle v Chelsea (12pm)

Forest v Leicester (2.15pm)

Friday 16 May

Chelsea v Man U (8pm)

Sunday 18 May

Villa v Spurs TBC (Spurs have asked about moving this match due to proximity to Europa League final on 21 May)

West Ham v Forest (2.15pm)

Arsenal v Newcastle (4.30pm)

Man City v Bournemouth TBC (Man City in FA Cup final now on 17 May)

Sunday 25 May