As the Premier League season the last consecutive successes, the race for the European places is heated.
Newcastle has already assured itself of a place in at least the conference competition next season after winning the Carabao Cup.
If they also end in the top five of the Premier League – or top six if the FA Cup winners also end in the top five – their play -off place will go to the conference to the second highest ranked team that is not qualified for Europe in the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville from Sky Sports have their say about the other teams in the mix …
Manchester City
Jamie Carragher: “Although Man City won, it has been a bad midweek for them. They defeated Leicester at home, while Villa went to Brighton and won. That is a tough match. Newcastle, after winning the cup, is not easy. Chelsea also had the derby match Tottenham.
“You see all those teams that win there, it makes it really exciting between now and the end of the season. Much of it goes to the head of the head, there are so many teams in them.
“Omar Marmoush has been brilliant, he has been a superstar for them since he came in and he will have to be for the rest of the season, if there will be Haaland for six weeks, for Man City to get there. They will miss without a top.”
Gary Neville: “The FA Cup is great for City, also in the Champions League, but if they can win the FA Cup, it would be a fantastic season for them.
“This is a low season, a large low season. But the idea of still winning a trophy if you have a bad season and go to the Champions League is something that should not be ignored.
“If you see what they have won in recent years, there would be a drop-off at some point. But if you win a trophy in the season you are dropping out, you would break down your hand.”
Aston Villa
Neville: “I like to end strong. Unai Emery knows how to do this. I said at Christmas that I thought they would end strong, but there are many teams that are doing well. Nottingham Forest, in what a great position they are.
“Villa is a club that Everton should watch. If you look at Everton and where they are now, Villa has been there in recent years. Everton is a huge club and if you think what if they had that villa quality, especially in broad areas? But they didn't.”
Carragher: “It is a difficult one with Villa and asks what you would rather have. Just keep going and build that momentum. They have a great team. You see the players they brought from Preston's bank. They just have to go for everything.
“I would like to see the FA Cup win. It would be difficult to win the Champions League. You want to win it, but sometimes there is that feeling just to be in the Champions League and just come to the semi -final. Imagine the night they would have in Villa Park! To win the FA Cup, go without a trophy.”
Nottingham Forest
Neville: “Do you remember your leicester a few years ago? There was a season when Manchester United she defeated and they were beaten out of the Champions League. There is still a bit to do for Forest Left. There are only eight games, but make sure you come across the line here. If you lose two or three, the others will not lose much.
“But what a great position there are a fantastic result last night and everyone wants to see them in the Champions League see how well they did. Otherwise it's a real scrap.
Carragher: “It would be great for the competition, just as Leicester wins the competition. Nottingham Forest, who is in the top four, would be fantastic. It almost feels like they deserve it now. They have enough to stay there, it will be fine.”
Bournemouth
Carragher: “They are a bit like forest, they have been so good that you are now disappointed to see them fall down. I did not want to see them fall in the same way if you don't want to see that with forests. This bump is now for five or six weeks, this is now a few weeks now.
Chelsea
Carra: “Chelsea has been so inconsistent for the past three or four months, but they are still there. It shows how many points have fallen through the teams around them. There is a real fight there. The top three will make it and the other two positions can absolutely be everyone.”
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