Race for Europe Heats Up as Brighton & Fulham Secure Key Wins

Brighton Fulham

Only five points separate third place from 10th after wins for Hurzeler and Silva's sides

Related Articles

Hurzeler on the race for Europe and matchwinner Welbeck

Sessegnon and Muniz on target as Fulham beat Wolves to boost European hopes

Chelsea thrash Southampton to go FOURTH

The race for European places in the Premier League intensified with Tuesday night's triumphs for two teams in the chasing pack.

After their respective 2-1 victories over AFC Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham both moved up the table, which now shows just a five-point difference between Nottingham Forest in third place and Aston Villa in 10th.

Race for Europe

Position Club Played GD Points

3

Nott'm Forest

26 +11 47

4

Chelsea

27 +16 46

5

Man City

26 +15 44

6

Newcastle

26 +10 44

7

Bournemouth

27 +13 43

8

Brighton

27 +5 43

9

Fulham

27 +4 42

10

Aston Villa

28 -5 42

View More

How Tuesday's results changed the table

Villa slipped to 10th after losing 4-1 at Crystal Palace, but they began the evening with a chance of going into fifth spot, which could gain entry into the UEFA Champions League in 2025/26.

English clubs are on course to be granted an extra place in the elite competition, in addition to the usual top four, as a reward for their collective progress in Europe this season.

Justin Kluivert

Is Premier League on course for a fifth UEFA Champions League spot?

Will fifth place qualify for next season's competition? And could there be SEVEN English clubs in it?

The night drew to a close with Manchester City in fifth, two points and one place behind Chelsea, who climbed back into the top four after beating bottom club Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Brighton went up to eighth, which could become a qualifying position for the UEFA Conference League, just one point ahead of Fulham in ninth.

Ryan Sessegnon, whose 58-second opener for Fulham was his first goal since rejoining the club from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, said: "It was obviously very important to get three points to keep pushing in the league.

"To bring that performance and the confidence into the FA Cup game [against Manchester United] is very important for us too."

How clubs qualify for the other UEFA competitions

The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the league phase of the UEFA Europa League but if they finish in the top five of the Premier League, their place will instead go to the next-highest ranked team that have not qualified for Europe via their league position.

The EFL Cup winners qualify for the playoff stages of the UEFA Conference League but if they finish in the top five of the Premier League - or top six in the event of the FA Cup winners scenario above - their place will go to the next-highest ranked team that have not qualified for Europe via their league position.

The UEFA Champions League trophy

How Premier League clubs qualify for European competitions

A breakdown of how Premier League clubs can qualify for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League

Next up in the race for Europe

The composition of the Premier League's European places could change again of course when Wednesday's five matches are completed.

Five teams in the top eight will be in action, with sixth-placed Newcastle United visiting the leaders Liverpool, and Arsenal, in second, travelling to third-placed Nottingham Forest.

Reigning champions Man City, in fifth spot, visit a rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur side victorious in their last three Premier League matches.

Meanwhile, Brentford, themselves harbouring European ambitions, could move to within three points of eighth place by beating Everton at home.

Thursday 27 February

Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford

Brentford

01:00

Everton

Old Trafford, Manchester

Man Utd

01:00

Ipswich

The City Ground, Nottingham

Nott'm Forest

01:00

Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Spurs

01:00

Man City

Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool

01:45

Newcastle