The race for the Champions League is hugely competitive, but another mini-battle is emerging in the middle of the table – the race for eighth spot and the UEFA Conference League.
With two games to go, four teams are eyeing up eighth place, which could guarantee European football – but much depends on the FA Cup final result between Crystal Palace and Manchester City on Saturday.
Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Fulham are all hoping for a Man City victory at Wembley, because glory for Palace would see the Eagles secure Europa League qualification, meaning the Conference League slot will be awarded to seventh place.
As the Premier League season approaches its conclusion, here are the permutations…
How can eighth end up being a Conference League place?
This season, England has FIVE Champions League spots via the Premier League, which will go to the teams who finish in the top five positions.
And they will also be joined by the winner of the Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United.
England also has TWO Europa League spots, which this season go to sixth place and the FA Cup winners – we’ll come onto the FA Cup bit shortly.
The Premier League only has ONE Conference League spot, which goes to the Carabao Cup winners. That is currently Newcastle, but they are now guaranteed a spot in Europe.
That means Newcastle’s Conference League spot now goes down to seventh place in the Premier League. However, there’s another twist.
Should Manchester City win the FA Cup in the final against Crystal Palace on May 17, then finish in the European places, the Premier League’s Europa League places will go down to seventh spot. And that would mean eighth place qualifies for the Europa Conference League.
However, if Palace were to beat City at Wembley, then they would qualify directly for the Europa League, meaning the Conference League slot stays with seventh place.
As a side note, Chelsea potentially winning the Europa Conference League has no impact on the Premier League’s European places.
So who could finish eighth?
Brentford (8th – 55 points, GD 10)
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Ipswich and Brentford.
Brentford have never qualified for Europe before and an eighth-place finish would also represent the Bees’ highest finish in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank’s side actually took the Conference League qualification race to the final day in the 2022/23 season and beat Manchester City, but they lost out to Aston Villa who took the all-important seventh spot that day.
And the west Londoners can boast having the more favourable fixtures out of all four teams chasing the Conference League. Their last two games are against bottom-half teams, which includes a huge west London derby at home to Fulham at the Gtech.
Remaining Premier League fixtures:
May 18: Fulham (H), kick-off 3pm
May 25: Wolves (A), kick-off 4pm
Brighton (9th, 55 points, GD 3)
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Wolves and Brighton.
Brighton have the most European experience out of the four teams, having qualified for the Europa League last season under Roberto de Zerbi, before being knocked out in the last 16.
But the Seagulls are currently up against it and are weakened by having the lowest goal difference of all four contenders with three games to go. That 7-0 loss at Nottingham Forest has come back to haunt them.
To qualify for Europe, Fabian Hurzeler’s side will need to finish ahead of a fellow south coast club in Bournemouth, as well as rivals Brentford. Rivals, because there is a boardroom rivalry between data gurus Matthew Benham and Tony Bloom, who used to work together before an unamicable split.
Remaining Premier League fixtures:
May 19: Liverpool (H), live on Sky Sports, kick-off 8pm
May 25: Tottenham (A), kick-off 4pm
Bournemouth (10th – 53 points, GD 12)
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa’s win against Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries have already made history after they secured a record points total with five games remaining, but Bournemouth could add to that by, like Brentford, potentially qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.
A narrow defeat to Aston Villa has moved Bournemouth down to 10th with two games remaining, in what may prove to be a massive blow.
They play Manchester City, who are fighting for Champions League football, before the Cherries then host relegated Leicester on the final day of the season.
Remaining Premier League fixtures:
May 20: Man City (A), live on Sky Sports, kick-off 8pm
May 25: Leicester (H), kick-off 4pm
Fulham (11th, 51 points, GD 1)
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Fulham and Everton.
Fulham will also be looking for a return to Europe, after the Cottagers famously reached the UEFA Cup final in 2010 under Roy Hodgson, before losing to Atletico Madrid in the final.
Marco Silva’s side are in poor form, though, having lost four out of their last five Premier League games.
They’re remaining two games will continue to provide a test, with the west London derby at Brentford a must-win for Fulham, before they host Champions League chasing Manchester City.
Remaining Premier League fixtures:
May 18: Brentford (A), kick-off 3pm
May 25: Man City (H), kick-off 4pm