As the Premier League season comes to an end on Sunday, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea are among five clubs chasing the three remaining top five spots, along with Manchester City, Newcastle, and Aston Villa.
Forest brace for a dramatic showdown against Chelsea, while Villa travel to face troubled Manchester United, whose misery was compounded by their Europa League final defeat against Tottenham on Wednesday.
Forest have enjoyed a remarkable renaissance but they will still end the season with regrets if they fail to reach the Champions League.
The two-time European champions last played in the continent’s top club competition in 1980/81.
They have been resident in the top five for most of the season but have lost momentum in recent weeks and must now beat rivals Chelsea and hope Villa or Newcastle drop points.
Though they may fail to qualify for the Champions League, Nottingham Forest at least have the comfort of knowing they have secured European football next season.
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They finished just outside the relegation spots last season but have roared back under Nuno Espirito Santo, becoming the first team in Premier League history to double their points tally from one season to the next.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to predict what the mood will be like at Old Trafford on Sunday, when Manchester United host top five contenders Aston Villa.
United, who lost 1-0 to Tottenham in the Europa League final on Wednesday, are destined for their lowest league finish since they were relegated in 1974.
Ruben Amorim’s men have been desperately poor this season, winning just six league games since the Portuguese took over from the sacked Erik ten Hag in November.
Villa have won just twice at Old Trafford in the Premier League era but will go there with a spring in their step, knowing a win would give them a chance to qualify for next season’s Champions League, depending on results elsewhere.
Below are Premier League fixtures slated for Sunday:
Bournemouth v Leicester
Fulham v Manchester City
Ipswich v West Ham
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Everton
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
Southampton v Arsenal
Tottenham v Brighton
Wolves v Brentford
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