How Man City's final fixtures compare to Champions League rivals after dramatic Aston Villa win | OneFootball

The Premier League title race is done, and we've long known who'll be returning to the Championship. Thank God for the hotly-contested race for Champions League football!

With Liverpool soon to be confirmed as champions and Ipswich Town on the cusp of joining Leicester and Southampton in the second tier, we could've endured a woefully dull conclusion to the 2024/25 Premier League season.

However, with five teams attempting to claim the final three Champions League places (assuming Arsenal finish second despite their Champions League focus), there will be some domestic intrigue until the last.

Manchester City were never meant to be apart of this tussle after four-straight titles, but Rodri's injury rocked their world in the worst possible way, and Pep Guardiola has been asked to mitigate the run-in without leading goalscorer Erling Haaland.

It's still not guaranteed that City will be involved in Europe's premier club competition next season, but the faint strains of the tournament's famous anthem grew a little louder after their dramatic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Here's how their remaining league fixtures compare to the rest of the rivals'.

Man City's remaining Premier League fixtures

Man City simply must qualify for the Champions League / PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages

City's midweek triumph was their only remaining fixture against a direct rival for a top-five finish. Unai Emery's side prevailed in the reverse fixture during the Cityzens' woeful slump at the end of 2024 and were competitive for much of Tuesday's contest before Matheus Nunes fired in a 94th-minute winner.

After finding a way beyond the Villans ahead of the FA Cup semi-finals, City are well placed to secure a Champions League spot. Following this weekend's visit to Wembley, they host in-form Wolves and Bournemouth on either side of a trip to already-relegated Southampton.

Their season concludes against a Fulham side who have struggled for consistency as of late.

Newcastle's remaining Premier League fixtures

Newcastle saw their winning run ended by Aston Villa / George Wood/GettyImages

Newcastle had the stuffing knocked out of them at Villa Park on Saturday evening, but the Magpies have the ideal get-right game next week.

Eddie Howe will hope to be back on the sidelines when Ipswich Town visit St James' Park on Saturday. The Tractor Boys' relegation is inevitable, and Newcastle can make their demise official by securing just a point. However, this is a bout the hosts must win.

Their run-in isn't exactly straight-forward, although Brighton have been in woeful form as of late and have thrust themselves out of Champions League contention. After visiting the Amex on 4 May, Newcastle welcome Chelsea to Tyneside the following week in a decisive fixture.

Howe's men will hope that Arsenal bypass PSG to reach the Champions League final, as they travel to the Emirates eight days before the Gunners' potential trip to Munich. Newcastle have had the Gunners' number since Howe took the reins, and they've won all three head-to-head duels this season.

The Magpies will benefit from playing their final outing of the season at home, with David Moyes' Everton making their way north on 26 May.

Nottingham Forest's remaining Premier League fixtures

Nottingham Forest responded to their rivals' success over the weekend by winning at Spurs / Harry Murphy - Danehouse/GettyImages

Nottingham Forest would've ended the gameweek in seventh had Spurs overturned their 2-0 deficit in N17 on Monday night. It wasn't a vintage defensive display from Nuno Espirito Santo's side, who rode their luck in north London, but the result was all-important in their bid to return to Europe's premier club competition.

Forest are back in the top five with a quintet of games to go, and three of their remaining fixtures will be played at the City Ground. However, Brentford have been one of the standout travelling teams in the division this calendar year, and they're up next for Forest in the league after their FA Cup semi-final against Man City.

Crystal Palace (away) doesn't appear as daunting as it did a few weeks back, while Leicester and West Ham will be expected to be bypassed on Gameweeks 36 and 37. Forest's fate may well be secured by the time they welcome Chelsea to the Midlands on the final day.

Chelsea's remaining Premier League fixtures

Chelsea secured a big win at Fulham on Sunday / GLYN KIRK/GettyImages

Chelsea have been trending in the wrong direction for much of 2025, but Pedro Neto's last-gasp strike at Fulham may well prove to be a significant turning point for Enzo Maresca.

The Blues' victory at Craven Cottage keeps them on the outside looking in, but they're just a point adrift of Man City in fifth. Three of their remaining five games are also at Stamford Bridge, even if they've struggled to dominate on home soil this term.

Chelsea clash with both sides of the Mersey (Everton then Liverpool) in west London before they're next on their travels. The Blues will have to perform as well as they have all season to secure a result at Newcastle on 11 May, with the fixture arriving three days after the second leg of their Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden.

The Premier League's worst-ever Manchester United side visit the Bridge on the penultimate weekend of the season before Chelsea wrap up their campaign at Nottingham Forest.

Aston Villa's remaining Premier League fixtures

Aston Villa have the momentum in the Champions League race / Michael Steele/GettyImages

Aston Villa's admirable Champions League exit will surely work in their favour as they aim to secure a second consecutive appearance in the competition. Emery's men are the Premier League's form team, but they'll have to continue their newfound success away from home to confirm their spot in the top-five.

Defeat in midweek brought their impressive winning run in the league to a stop, but Villa will enjoy a return to home comforts after their FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace as they welcome Fulham to Villa Park on 3 May.

Bournemouth could be a tricky challenge down on the south coast, but Emery's side will be expected to finish 2024/25 with a pair of victories over the Premier League's two great under-performers: Tottenham and Man Utd.