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The Premier League’s unlikely pretenders to Champions League riches

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Nottingham Forest are the surprise package this Premier League season as they lie in third, just behind Liverpool and Arsenal.PHOTO: REUTERS

 The battle for a place in the Champions League is the focus of attention in the final two months of the English Premier League season, with the title race and relegation battle seemingly a foregone conclusion.

Liverpool are storming clear with a 12-point lead over Arsenal at the top, while at the bottom Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton are set for an immediate return to the second-tier Championship.

A strong season by English sides in European competitions means it is almost certain that a top-five finish will secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

And the race to be in Europe’s elite club competition has never been more open as the Premier League’s middle class has taken advantage of a woeful season for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea and Manchester City occupy fourth and fifth on 49 and 48 points respectively with nine games to go but both also still have plenty to do after their struggles for consistent form.

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Here is a look at the prospects of four surprise Champions League challengers.

Nottingham Forest (third, 54 points)

Forest may have plenty of historical pedigree in continental competition, but they have not been in the European Cup since they were defending champions in 1980.

After a 23-year absence from the Premier League and just battling to avoid relegation in the past two seasons, the Tricky Trees have stunned everyone to sit behind only Liverpool and Arsenal at the top of the table and have made it to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have a seven-point cushion in the race for a top-five finish and a favourable fixture run-in.

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Forest face only two sides in the top half, Chelsea and Aston Villa, in their final nine games.

Brighton & Hove Albion (seventh, 47 points)

The Seagulls have taken 13 points from a possible 15 to roar back into Champions League contention in Fabian Hurzeler’s first season in charge.

The wheels could have come off for the 32-year-old when his ultra attacking line-up away to Forest in February backfired in a humiliating 7-0 defeat.

At that point, Brighton had won just twice in the Premier League in 12 games, but they have bounced back impressively to keep dreams of a first-ever foray into the Champions League alive.

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Fulham (eighth, 45 points)

Fulham are another club never to have reached Europe’s elite level but are back in the running after their own mid-season stumble.

Marco Silva’s men won just twice in 10 games between late November and mid-January, but have beaten Forest, Newcastle United and Tottenham in their last six league maches.

However, they face a tough run if they are to qualify for Europe for the first time in 14 years.

The Cottagers face Arsenal and Liverpool in their next two and host City on the final day of the season.

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Bournemouth (10th, 44 points)

The Cherries’ chances of a first-ever European adventure have suffered in a run of one point from their last four league games.

Andoni Iraola’s men appeared to be tiring before the international break and showed signs of fatigue in an FA Cup quarter-final loss to City over the weekend after taking a first-half lead.

The visit of struggling Ipswich on April 2 gives Bournemouth the perfect chance to kickstart their pursuit of the top five in what is likely to be the final few months before this squad is broken up.

Iraola himself is reportedly the man Tottenham want to succeed Ange Postecoglou if the Australian does not deliver the Europa League.

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Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo have been linked with Liverpool, while Dean Huijsen is attracting interest from Real Madrid.

-AFP

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Premier League

Maguire handed suspended prison sentence for 2020 brawl 

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Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Harry Maguire reacts REUTERS/Chris Radburn/File Photo 

England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence ​by a Greek court over a 2020 ‌incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.

In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted ​bribery and violence against public employees after ​his arrest in a brawl in which ⁠two police officers were assaulted.

Maguire, who was detained ​for two days following the incident and denied ​any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full ​retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on ​multiple charges.

In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing ‌nullified ⁠Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.

Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest ​and attempted ​bribery. The ⁠32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. ​His legal team will appeal against ​the ⁠guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.

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Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences ⁠related ​to the incident and received ​suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.

-Reuters

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Timber header earns Arsenal crucial win over Chelsea

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 Arsenal's David Raya celebrates after Jurrien Timber scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.

Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.

Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.

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Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy 

Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.

But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.

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Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.

-Reuters

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Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace

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 Premier League - Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - March 1, 2026 Manchester United's Matheus Cunha in action with Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.

Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.

The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.

“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”

Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.

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The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.

United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.

The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.

Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.

United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.

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Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”

Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”

For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.

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