What Arsenal win means for Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United in Champions League race | OneFootball

Gunners’ victory in Lisbon had more than one benefactor in bid for Champions League

Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon was precisely the result that Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool were hoping for.

That comes as a huge boost to Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa, who are all in the race to finish in the top five this term.

United sit third in the driving seat after their revolution under head coach Michael Carrick, with Aston Villa on their tails in fourth, just one point off.

Liverpool sit fifth - which would, if the season ended now, see them qualify automatically for the Champions League - while Chelsea are in sixth, one point worse off than the current Premier League champions.

That could also interest seventh-placed Brentford, who are just three points behind Liverpool, and Keith Andrews’ side must face both United and Liverpool before this season is out.

There could also be further English representation in the Champions League next year alongside the five Premier League qualifiers.

Should Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish outside the top four, England will have six teams in Europe’s top competition, and the same can be said for Liverpool with the Champions League itself.

If both finish in fifth and sixth and win their respective trophies, then seventh place would qualify for the Champions League.

Nottingham Forest, who are entrenched in a relegation battle, could also be playing Champions League football next term if they win the Europa League. If they were to do so, they would join the Premier League’s top five at Europe’s top table.