Six games to decide it all: Man United and rivals set for brutal top-five battle

Manchester United are locked in a fierce battle to secure a top-five finish and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

They currently sit third in the table, level on points with fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Liverpool are lurking just three points behind, while Chelsea remain within touching distance in sixth with 48 points.

With only six Premier League games left, every fixture now carries massive significance in this high-stakes race.

Manchester United

The Red Devils will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening before returning to Old Trafford to host Brentford.

Their remaining four games are scheduled in May.

A blockbuster clash awaits on May 3, when Liverpool arrive in Manchester seeking revenge for their earlier defeat at Anfield.

Their last three fixtures are Sunderland (A), Nottingham Forest (H) and Brighton & Hove Albion (A).

Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt are unavailable on Sunday. Even a draw at Stamford Bridge would represent a valuable result.

Brentford and Sunderland present tough tests, with both sides enjoying a superb 2025-26 season.

While United will be expected to dispatch Forest at home, overcoming Liverpool remains a far tougher challenge.

A final-day trip to the Amex Stadium adds another layer of difficulty to an already demanding run-in.

If United could do the unthinkable and beat Chelsea and Liverpool, they would surely finish in the top five spots.

Aston Villa

Timely returns for John McGinn and Youri Tielemans have handed Unai Emery a significant boost at the perfect moment.

Villa begin with a home clash against Sunderland before travelling to Craven Cottage to face Fulham, where they will fancy their chances.

Tottenham Hotspur are next to visit Villa Park, and their poor form presents a golden opportunity.

It would be a surprise if Villa drop points against Burnley, who are likely to get relegated.

The campaign concludes with heavyweight clashes against Liverpool (H) and Manchester City (A).

Ideally, Villa will aim to secure their top-five status before hosting Liverpool in what could otherwise become a high-pressure decider.

Emery will also have an eye on the UEFA Europa League, as they look set to progress to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Liverpool

Liverpool suffered a brutal elimination from the Champions League after a defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

They have little time to recover, with a fierce Merseyside test against Everton up next.

A home clash with Crystal Palace appears their most favourable fixture on paper.

Their next three fixtures are against United (A), Chelsea (H) and Villa (A).

They end their season at Anfield by hosting Brentford.

If Liverpool find form, they have the quality to completely reshape the top-five race.

Chelsea

Chelsea hierarchy are under intense pressure as a change in the managerial dugout has not solved their problems.

Manager Liam Rosenior still has time to salvage the campaign, starting with a favourable clash against a depleted United side.

The Blues then travel to face Brighton before hosting Nottingham Forest.

While a trip to the south coast is rarely straightforward, failure to beat 16th-placed Forest would be a major setback.

A daunting visit to Anfield follows, posing another stern examination.

Chelsea then host local rivals Tottenham before ending their season at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland.

Currently seven points adrift of fourth place, Chelsea face the steepest climb in the race.

Unless they produce a remarkable turnaround, a place in the Europa League appears the most realistic outcome for next season.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .