Premier League teams may need to LOSE to secure Champions League as bizarre final-day scenario emerges

An utterly bizarre scenario may occur on the final day of the Premier League season, with teams actually benefitting from losing their games as they bid to secure Champions League football - and SPORTbible has it all mapped out.

As the Premier League enters the business end of the season, with most sides having three games to play, the drama will continue to unfold at the top and bottom of the division.

While Arsenal and Manchester City battle for the title, several teams, including Spurs, West Ham and Nottingham Forest, are scrapping for their Premier League status.

Meanwhile, Manchester United secured Champions League qualification with a win over Liverpool on Sunday, although Arne Slot’s side look more than likely to qualify for the competition themselves as they sit six points clear of sixth-placed Bournemouth.

The Premier League has already been guaranteed a fifth place in next season’s Champions League through the European Performance Spot (EPS) route.

Currently, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, in fifth, would benefit from this, although if they win the Europa League, this will have a knock-on effect on those below them.

If Villa win the Europa League – with the side currently trailing 1-0 on aggregate after last week’s semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest – then the EPS spot would be passed down to sixth place, with Bournemouth occupying the position at the time of writing.

If Villa finish fourth and win the Europa League, then this would not impact their fellow Premier League sides, meaning sixth would qualify for the Europa League.

As things stand – ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Forest on Monday – just seven points separate 13th-place Newcastle United and Bournemouth, with Sunderland, Everton, Fulham, Chelsea, Brighton and Brentford all hopeful of securing European football of some description.

Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Leeds could also still qualify for the Champions League, although this scenario is highly unlikely.

Teams that finish seventh will secure at least a Conference League spot, with Villa’s performance not impacting this.

But there’s a twist.

If Manchester City win the FA Cup or Chelsea do and finish in the top seven, the permutations change again.

In that scenario, seventh would secure the Europa League while the Conference League would drop to eighth.

And as mentioned earlier, the team in sixth may actually benefit from losing on the final day.

On the final day, Brighton face Manchester United while Brentford take on Liverpool.

If both United and Liverpool win, this would mean Villa, who face Man City away in the final, finish fifth, which could benefit those below them – including sixth-place hopefuls Brighton and Brentford.

In this case, it may actually benefit Brighton and Brentford to lose against United and Liverpool if they are confident of securing sixth. If Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, then sixth place would secure a Champions League spot.

Eight English teams are expected to qualify for Europe, although there is a slim chance this could increase to 10 – if Forest win the Europa League and Palace win the Conference League while also finishing below eighth.