Update: Man City handed Champions League advantage vs Aston Villa and Newcastle as major boost clear News

Manchester City are hoping to chase down a place in the Champions League over the coming weeks

It is beginning to look like three from five in the race for Champions League football next season.

Liverpool will wrap up the Premier League title in the coming weeks and it would take a dramatic collapse from Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal not to secure a top five berth in the top flight.

Newcastle United have stormed into third thanks to five league wins on the bounce while a stumbling Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Aston Villa are also battling Manchester City in a fascinating run-in. Those five are separated by just five points with six games to play.

There will likely be plenty of twists and turns over the coming month but City, who have course and distance in their corner given Pep Guardiola’s side are used to challenging for honours at this time of the year, remain well fancied to finish at least fifth.

And the Blues will look to take a huge stride towards that target in the coming days. Two wins in their next two matches would leave City in a strong position given the way the fixture list looks.

Guardiola’s men are at Everton on Saturday afternoon and then welcome Aston Villa to the Etihad on Tuesday. City have had a week off since their second half dismantling of Crystal Palace last time out while their rivals have been busy.

Villa were in Champions League action in midweek in a draining 3-2 win over PSG which wasn’t quite enough to see them into the last four. Newcastle, too, played a midweek fixture as they crushed Palace 5-0 at St James’ Park, while Chelsea are in Conference League action on Thursday.

The Magpies have been playing catch up in recent weeks due to their run to the Carabao Cup final. And Eddie Howe’s side are at Villa Park this weekend in a teatime game that promises to be a full-blooded affair.

Villa will then have to rouse themselves for the trip to City, while Newcastle travel to the Midlands having already played four top flight fixtures this month. Fatigue will be a factor for all clubs at this stage of the season, but those two are in the thick of it just now.

City, meanwhile, have had just three games so far this month and plenty of time to prepare for matches. The fixture with Villa is also their sole remaining test against a top seven side. Newcastle still have to play Chelsea and Arsenal after their game with Unai Emery’s side.

If Guardiola’s side can find a timely bit of form over the coming days then they can put one foot in next season’s Champions League.

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