LONDON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- With three matches left to play this season, six Premier League teams are battling it out for four UEFA Champions League places, as well as a spot in the Europa League and the Conference League, but with the uncertainty over whether more places will open up in the coming weeks.
Results in Europe mean the Premier League has five places confirmed in next season's Champions League - and that will now be six, as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will take each other on in the Europa League final on May 21, with a place in the Champions League the reward for the winner.
Crystal Palace could claim a second Europa League place with a win in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, but if City, currently third in the league, finishes in the top five and wins the Cup, that would mean the team that finishes seventh this season would earn the Europa League spot, with the eighth-placed side going into the Conference League.
With Chelsea also in the Conference League final, the situation could get even more confusing, but with so many variables, the only thing that seems certain is that the best way to ensure a place in Europe is to carry on winning.
A win would probably ensure Arsenal's top-five finish, which would be a small consolation after failing to reach the Champions League final following a 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
The problem for Mikel Arteta's side is that although they travel to play league champions Liverpool, which has only pride to play for, the Reds will want to give an improved display after a tepid performance in defeat to Chelsea last week.
Third-placed City visits bottom side Southampton and should have few problems against a rival that has only 11 points all season and desperately needs one more to avoid going down with the joint-worst points total in Premier League history.
Newcastle hosts Chelsea in a clash of fourth- and fifth-placed sides, and the winning team will feel it has taken a huge step towards ensuring a Champions League spot.
Newcastle will look to the support of a packed St James' Park, while Chelsea had a Conference League semifinal on Thursday night to limit its preparation time.
Four points from the last 15 has left Nottingham Forest suddenly in danger of missing out on a prize they looked assured of for most of the season.
Forest should get three points in a regional derby at home to relegated Leicester City, whose only win in the last three months has been against Southampton.
Aston Villa has the chance of a top-five finish, but faces a difficult visit to play a Bournemouth side that still has the chance of playing either Europa or Conference League football next season, and the Cherries' energy will test a Villa side drained after a long season and missing Marcus Rashford.
Three successive wins have put Brentford into the European mix ahead of a visit to Ipswich Town, another relegated side, and the Bees' record of 19 points from its last eight away games hints at victory at Portman Road.
Brighton has a tough visit to Wolves, while Tottenham hosts a Crystal Palace side likely to have one eye on the FA Cup final. Enditem
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