Champions League race predictions update after Man City beat Aston Villa in top five showdown | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Chelsea make up a fiercely contested battle

Celebrations: Pep Guardiola

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Manchester City have put themselves back in pole position to qualify for next season’s Champions League after beating Aston Villa.

It underlined the importance of qualifying for the Champions League, which has been a forgone conclusion for City for some time, but this season was under significant threat.

The win moved City up to third in the Premier League table, above Nottingham Forest and Newcastle. Chelsea and Aston Villa remain in sixth and seventh, respectively.

Enzo Maresca celebrates Chelsea’s late win over Fulham

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Top five race predicted

According to Opta, Manchester City now have a 95.11 per cent chance of finishing in the top five. They have, on paper, the easiest run in of their positional rivals as they do not face another team in the top seven before the end of the season.

Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham on Monday night to significantly boost their own chances, which Opta rate at 80.14%. It would be a first-ever qualification for the Champions League, since its rebrand over 30 years ago.

Newcastle United can also feel confident about their own chances, despite being humbled by Aston Villa last time out. Opta believes they have a 77.59% chance of finishing in the top five.

Chelsea, who beat Fulham in the final minutes on Sunday, and Villa face an uphill battle, according to Opta. It’s a significant drop to the Blues’ chances, which are rated at 29.73%. Villa have the weakest shot, sitting at 17.32%.

Who will finish in the top five?