Champions League football is there for whoever wants it. Can Everton, Newcastle or even Brentford do it? | OneFootball

The Premier League‘s race for Champions League qualification has turned into less of a high-speed pursuit and more of a pile-up between clown cars as Liverpool and Chelsea continue to falter.

Manchester United kicked off the weekend’s action by dropping points away to Bournemouth on Friday night. Michael Carrick might have worried that gave rivals Liverpool and Chelsea a chance to reel them in, but he need not have.

The Red Devils’ new manager bounce under Carrick has subsided a bit in recent weeks, with them failing to beat West Ham, Newcastle, and Bournemouth. But they need not suffer any anxiety given who they’re up against.

After struggling to string two wins together in the entire first half of the season, an unconvincing run of form that eventually cost Ruben Amorim his job, it looks as though just four wins from Carrick’s first four games in charge was enough to break the back of their bid to return to the Champions League.

They’re now in pole position to finish in the top five, with a seven-point gap over sixth-place Chelsea. Winning just three or four of their remaining seven games will surely be enough.

After that, it looks as though fourth and fifth place are there for the taking for any team that can put a half-decent run together.

Aston Villa are currently in fourth place, but they’re sliding down the table after winning just three and losing six of their last 12 Premier League outings. Given their league form, and Unai Emery’s track record, winning the Europa League looks like it might be a more viable route into UEFA’s premier cup competition.

Still, Villa could get back on track after three successive Premier League defeats. A victory over relegation-battlers West Ham today would see them move six points clear of Chelsea.

Saturday laid bare the reality that this year’s top-five race is particularly open and chaotic. Liverpool said hold by beer with their 2-1 defeat at Brighton, and Chelsea duly obliged with a spectacular 3-0 defeat at Everton.

Liverpool are gearing up for a Champions League quarter-final against PSG, but the distraction might prove costly after taking just one point from the last nine on offer. The champions have won three matches in a row twice since their campaign went off the rails in September, but both runs have swiftly proved to be false dawns. Their limp display down in Brighton was yet more evidence that things are seriously wrong with Arne Slot’s team.

Things might even be worse over at Chelsea, with their deficiencies under Liam Rosenior brutally exposed in their 8-2 aggregate defeat to PSG. Focusing on the league might do them good, but their 3-0 defeat in Merseyside demonstrated that’s easier said than done.

Chelsea have won just one of their last seven, and lost three of their last four, in the Premier League. It looks increasingly likely that Rosenior, who was backed with a long-term contract to 2032, won’t see out the season.

The terrible form of Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea has opened the door for a surprise challenger.

Newcastle will move within four points of fifth place and re-enter the conversation if they can win the Tyne-Wear derby. Eddie Howe’s Magpies have looked off the pace all season and struggled badly to compete on multiple fronts, but playing one game a week for the remainder of the season will sharpen their focus and could see them rediscover their best form.

Brentford could only muster a goalless draw away to Leeds United, their third draw in a row. Despite it only being one win from their last five, they remain within three points of fifth place.

Everton moved level with Brentford with their victory over Chelsea. They were unlucky to lose at Arsenal and have otherwise won three of their last four. There’s a case to be made that they’re the most convincing of the lot, and certainly have the best form.

Even Fulham (three wins from the last five) and Brighton (four wins from the last five) can consider themselves in the mix if they can continue on their current form.

We can probably disregard Bournemouth down in 12th, but Andoni Iraola’s side could easily have been in with a shout if they’d found a way to turn more tight games in their favour. They’ve drawn almost half of their games this season (15 of 31), including each of the last five.