Will we qualify for the CL?

[cdbearsfan]

It passes down, too. We would hand a Champions League spot to a team that would have made the Europa, a Europa place to a team that would have entered the Conference League and a Conference League qualification to a club that wouldn't have qualified for Europe.

Decent chance we could help out Chelsea, Cuntford and Newcastle.

Someone nice like Fulham or Sunderland wouldn't be so bad.

[darren woolley]

I really hope United beat Chelsea.

[Keeno]

I honestly think Chelsea being in the CL next year would put them at a disadvantage. Look at how United have benefitted from not being in Europe at all this year.

Let them play twice a week along with the rest of their competitors. They're going to spend with impunity anyway - the money is immaterial for them.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

It passes down, too. We would hand a Champions League spot to a team that would have made the Europa, a Europa place to a team that would have entered the Conference League and a Conference League qualification to a club that wouldn't have qualified for Europe.

Decent chance we could help out Chelsea, Cuntford and Newcastle.

Someone nice like Fulham or Sunderland wouldn't be so bad.

True, but doubt we’ll be worrying about that as we’re dancing in the streets of Istanbul.

[Meanwood Villa]

Chelsea is the only result worth keeping an eye on really as they are the closest to the top 5.

If they lose two of their remaining games and we win two of ours, regardless of anything else that goes on it becomes impossible for them or any team currently below them to reach 61 points.

Any team from Brentford down to Fulham could overtake us on 61 points. I'm not saying I think this will happen but Chelsea losing has no impact on those below them.

[PeterWithesShin]

No one below Liverpool will reach 61 points imo.

[Meanwood Villa]

Probably but it's not impossible

[Smithy]

From Manchester United down, no one has won more than half of their last 6 games until you get to Brighton in 9th.  They've won 5 out of 6, and are only two points behind Chelsea.

That's not to say Chelsea/Liverpool CAN'T go on a short run like they did 8 or 9 games back, and string 3 or 4 wins together.  It's entirely possible, just increasingly unlikely.  The problem is, we're into the '6 cup finals' stage of the season, so form isn't actually that important.  Back-to-back wins can make a MASSIVE difference to anyone in the CL hunt (or indeed those who don't match those results).

I like that it's in our own hands, and I wouldn't want to be in Chelsea's position, but the sooner we make it mathematically safe, the better.  We really don't want to be looking at Liverpool and Man City in the last two games knowing we definitely need results.

[VancouverLion]

How bitter sweet will it be when we win the EL and hand a CL place to 6th place Chelsea and the revenue that comes with it, bonkers!

[paul_e]

From Manchester United down, no one has won more than half of their last 6 games until you get to Brighton in 9th.  They've won 5 out of 6, and are only two points behind Chelsea.

That's not to say Chelsea/Liverpool CAN'T go on a short run like they did 8 or 9 games back, and string 3 or 4 wins together.  It's entirely possible, just increasingly unlikely.  The problem is, we're into the '6 cup finals' stage of the season, so form isn't actually that important.  Back-to-back wins can make a MASSIVE difference to anyone in the CL hunt (or indeed those who don't match those results).

I like that it's in our own hands, and I wouldn't want to be in Chelsea's position, but the sooner we make it mathematically safe, the better.  We really don't want to be looking at Liverpool and Man City in the last two games knowing we definitely need results.

This is why I think we should care a lot more about Man Utd dropping points. If they draw tomorrow we're still 6 points ahead of Chelsea with only Brentford potentially any closer and still 5 behind but with a chance to get a win and move 2 points ahead of Man Utd meaning we then have 5 games where at least 3 of the 6 teams behind us need to get better result than we do (significantly so in most cases). 1 or 2 teams going on a bit of a run of form is reasonable but 3 becomes highly unlikely given most oft hem have games against each other in the mix.

[PeterWithesShin]

To reach 61 Chelsea need W4 D1 L1. Obviously as you move down the league that final 6 game record needs to be even better. And anyone reaching 61 is only a concern if we end the season W2 L4.

Using Brighton as an example as they are the most in form, to reach 61 they need 5 wins from Spurs, Leeds and Newcastle away and Chelsea, ManU and Wolves at home.

[rob_bridge]

We don't want a Chelsea win.

FWIW we are about 1/5 on to qualify for CL via League and Evens via Europa.

I think if we win the next 2 league games it all but guarantees us it via the league. 66-68 2 games ago no looks like 61-63 for min 5th place.

Win those 2 and we can go hell for leather v Forest.

[PeterWithesShin]

Much as i'd like to finish above ManU the important thing is who is below us. I hope ManU smash Chelsea and we get top 5 sewn asap and can then focus on squad managment for Europe. We could have it sewn up before the away leg.

[Dave]

I think if we win the next 2 league games it all but guarantees us it via the league. 66-68 2 games ago no looks like 61-63 for min 5th place.

I'd go as far as saying that if we beat Sunderland and Man Utd beat Chelsea this weekend then it's in the bag. There's no way we lose every game and they win every game after that, which is virtually what would be required.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I honestly think Chelsea being in the CL next year would put them at a disadvantage. Look at how United have benefitted from not being in Europe at all this year.

Let them play twice a week along with the rest of their competitors. They're going to spend with impunity anyway - the money is immaterial for them.

Nah, the longer Chelsea stay out of the Champions League, the more they will struggle financially.