With fifth place likely leading to Champions League qualification again, just three points separate Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool for coveted top-five spots, leaving one of these teams at risk of missing out.
Many believe Aston Villa has the most favorable schedule among the group. Following a challenging away match at Old Trafford this weekend, they will face four teams currently in the bottom six over their next six fixtures. However, whether facing sides battling relegation is advantageous at this point in the season is up for debate.
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Liverpool currently sits just outside the top five. They have an opportunity to gain momentum against a series of mid-table opponents before confronting a tough run of matches in May, where they will take on all three of their rivals competing for Champions League spots back-to-back.
[BBC]
Just months ago, Aston Villa seemed almost assured of a top-five finish, holding an advantage of at least eight points over the other contenders, despite having worse underlying statistics. They were even considered potential title contenders. However, a series of injuries to key players and a drop in their remarkable long-range goal-scoring rate has allowed their rivals to close the gap.