The final week of the 2020/21 campaign is proving to be a thrilling one as eight teams battle to secure a place in three UEFA competitions next season.
Indeed, it could all come down to goal difference.
After champions Manchester City and Manchester United secured places in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League, the remaining two spots in the tournament are up for grabs.
Clubs are also battling to play in the UEFA Europa League and the inaugural UEFA Conference League.
Chelsea’s home win over Leicester City on Tuesday took them above their visitors into third, and all eyes are now on fifth-placed Liverpool, who are targeting a fourth straight win as they visit Burnley on Wednesday.
If Liverpool lose, Chelsea will be assured of a top-four finish with a match still to play.
And whatever the Reds do in their final two matches against Burnley and Crystal Palace, a victory for Thomas Tuchel’s Blues at Aston Villa on Sunday would finish the job.
Leicester are aiming to avoid a repeat of last season’s top-four heartbreak, when they lost their final two matches and dropped out, with Chelsea qualifying for the UCL instead.
One of those defeats came against Tottenham Hotspur, and Leicester host Spurs on the final day this term on 23 May. Brendan Rodgers and his players will be buoyed by the fact they won this season’s reverse fixture.
If Liverpool win at Burnley, they would move above Leicester into fourth on goal difference, setting up a thrilling final day where the battle between the two clubs could be decided by whoever scores more goals.
Chelsea’s midweek victory has ended the top-four hopes of their London rivals Spurs and West Ham United, who are now seven points adrift with only two matches left.
With Leicester guaranteed to finish in the top five, they do not need the UEFA Europa League place that is awarded to the FA Cup winners.
Instead, both the Premier League’s fifth and sixth-placed finishers are set to qualify for the UEL group stages.
Liverpool can secure a top-five finish on Wednesday with a win, leaving Spurs and West Ham – who are level on points – to battle for the other spot in the Europa League.
Similarly, Man City’s place in the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs for winning the EFL Cup will go to the highest team in the league not qualified for European competition.
So, the team who finish seventh are set to secure European football in 2021/22.
As it stands, West Ham would be the beneficiaries. But Leeds United, Everton and Arsenal can still catch the Hammers.
If Chelsea miss out on a top-four finish, they can still qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League by winning this year’s final against Man City on 29 May.
That would give the Premier League five teams in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League but would be at the expense of a place in the UEFA Europa League earned through their league position.
If Man Utd win the UEFA Europa League final against Villarreal on 26 May, their UCL qualification for finishing second in the Premier League would not be transferred to another PL club.