Bournemouth Set for European Football Next Season

Bournemouth might have been denied victory at home to Manchester City because of Erling Haaland's late equaliser, but the Cherries still had plenty to cheer.

Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Vitality Stadium confirmed that Bournemouth will be playing European football next season for the first time.

That will at least be in the Europa League, but they still have two possible routes to the Champions League.

The first will be opened up should Aston Villa beat Freiburg in the Europa League final on Wednesday night.

Then, if the Villans finish fifth in the Premier League, Unai Emery's side will qualify for the Champions League as the Europa League winners.

The extra place in the Champions League that the Premier League earned through the European Performance spot would go to the team finishing sixth.

To finish fifth, Villa would need to lose at Manchester City, and Liverpool win at home to Brentford.

If Bournemouth avoid defeat at Nottingham Forest, or Brighton fail to win at home to Manchester United, the Cherries would finish sixth and play among Europe's elite next season.

There are a couple of other routes, too.

If Liverpool lose, then Bournemouth could overtake them on goal difference. That would probably require a swing of at least seven goals - so Liverpool to lose 3-0 and Bournemouth to win 4-0.

But how about an end-of-season play-off to decide the final place in the Champions League?

That could happen if Liverpool lost 1-0 to the Bees, and Bournemouth won 5-0 at Forest. Goals scored and goals conceded would be identical, head-to-head points would both be three, while they each scored twice away from home against each other.

The Premier League title is now Arsenal's for the first time in 22 years, but six of the 10 games on the final day will still have something riding on them.

As well as the Champions League, slots in the Europa League, Conference League and relegation are to be decided.

For the final relegation place, West Ham need a victory at home to Leeds United to give themselves a chance.

Then it is down to Tottenham, who would need to cast aside their home hoodoo to stay in the Premier League.

No team has won fewer points at home than Spurs this season, with Burnley also on 12 points and two wins.

And Roberto de Zerbi's side will host Everton, with only two teams winning more than the Toffees' 26 points on the road this season.

Everton, though, now have nothing to play for.

Liverpool and Bournemouth will contest the last Champions League spot, though Arne Slot's side would have to suffer a heavy loss for Bournemouth to have any chance of overhauling them.

Brighton must win at home to Manchester United to be sure of playing in the Europa League. If they fail to do so, they could miss out on Europe with Brentford, and either Chelsea or Sunderland able to overtake them.

Chelsea, who hold the Conference League spot in eighth, go to the Stadium of Light knowing victory could get them Europa League football, but a loss would guarantee they miss out on Europe. The Black Cats must claim a victory and hope either Brentford fail to win or Brighton lose.

Brentford are the only other team in contention, but they have to win at Anfield to have any chance of fighting their way back into the European spots.