Premier League Top Four Odds: Forest And Man City Favourites For Final Two Spots
The Premier League title race may be a foregone conclusion, but there is all to play for in the fight for Champions League places.
Liverpool hold a 12-point lead over nearest rivals Arsenal with nine games remaining heading into the international break, but there are just five points separating fourth-placed Chelsea and Bournemouth in 10th.
The Reds and the Gunners are 1.001 and 1.02 respectively with betting sites to take one of the four Champions League spots, so which teams will join them at Europe’s top table next season?
Gambling.com looks at all the teams in the picture and the latest Premier League top-four betting odds.
Premier League Top-4 Odds: Forest In Driving Seat
Outside of the title race, perhaps the biggest story of the season has been the success enjoyed by Nottingham Forest, who have a great chance of playing Champions League football in the 2025/26 campaign.
Forest’s 4-2 win at Ipswich cemented third spot and they are now six points clear of fifth-placed Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions.
Their next six fixtures are all tricky, but they are 1.67 with football betting sites to be playing in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in 45 years.
Qualification A Must For Man City
At the start of the season, it felt inconceivable that Manchester City would finish outside of the top four in the Premier League.
That only seemed likely if they were to be hit with a points deductions for their well-documented financial issues.
But no such punishment has been issued and City’s biggest problem has been themselves, enduring one of their poorest seasons in recent years.
City are out of the Champions League and in fifth spot in the Premier League, just a point adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
Three of their remaining nine fixtures are against teams in the bottom four and with a reasonable run-in, it’s no surprise to see Pep Guardiola’s side 1.7 to earn the consolation prize of a top-four finish.
Chelsea Eyeing Champions League Spots
Chelsea occupy the final Champions League spot, but their away form is hampering their chances of playing at Europe’s top table next season.
Despite winning their last four matches at Stamford Bridge – three of which came against teams in the bottom four – they have not won on the road since a 4-3 victory at Tottenham at the start of December.
The Champions League needs to be the goal this season as the Blues won’t want to be playing in the Europa Conference League again with one of the most expensive squads in the country.
Chelsea had looked comfortable in the race for the top four under Enzo Maresca as they briefly flirted with a title bid of their own.
But they have suffered indifferent results since the turn of the year and are looking nervously over their shoulders in the closing months of the season.
A tough run-in means the west London club are 2.3 with betting apps for a top-four finish.
Premier League Top-Four Odds: Newcastle Eye Champions League Return
Newcastle ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy when they beat Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final and they still have an excellent chance of playing Champions League football next season.
The sixth-placed Magpies are only two points off fourth spot, but they have a game in hand on both Chelsea and Manchester City.
Eddie Howe’s side qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years at the end of the 2022/23 season and remain on course for another shot at the big time.
United's hopes may rest on their final three games of the season, two of which are against Arsenal and Chelsea, and they can be backed at 3.25.
Brighton On Track For European First
Brighton have never played in the Champions League or the European Cup equivalent, but recent results suggest they are in with a shout of achieving the greatest feat in the club’s history.
Following a remarkable 7-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, the Seagulls bounced back by winning their next four matches and then drawing 2-2 at champions Manchester City.
Those results have left Fabian Hurzeler’s charges just two points adrift of Chelsea in seventh spot, with Aston Villa and Crystal Palace their next two opponents after the international break.
Brighton look good value at 10.0 with Betfair to end their campaign in the top four.
Villa Outsiders For Champions League Return
Aston Villa have two bites of the cherry in their bid to qualify again for next season’s Champions League.
Villa are ninth in the Premier League table, four points behind Chelsea, but they are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Should they beat Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight and go on to win the competition, they will automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Unai Emery’s side are 26.0 to finish in the top four, while Bournemouth and Fulham are 34.0 and 101.0 respectively in the Premier League top-four odds.
