Arsenal find themselves looking over their shoulder in the race for Champions League football after a disappointing defeat to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
Despite taking the lead through Declan Rice in the first half, the Cherries turned the table on the Gunners thanks to goals from Dean Huijsen and Evanilson. After being in a two-horse race for the title throughout most of the season, Arsenal now find themselves in a battle to finish in the top five.
Sunday’s fixtures saw Newcastle United gain ground on Arsenal thanks to a late 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion. Meanwhile Chelsea put a dampener on Liverpool’s title party with a 3-1 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
From an Arsenal perspective, the focus is on Nottingham Forest who sit in sixth, the first place outside of the Champions League qualification spots. They play on Monday night against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and football.london has taken a look at the permutations that affect Arsenal’s place in next season’s European competition.
Forest can now finish on a maximum of 72 points with four games remaining. In theory, the Gunners would need to secure another six points from three matches to be sure of their place in the Champions League.
However in reality, five points will likely be enough due to their superior goal difference being unlikely to be toppled. From Arsenal’s last three matches, they would need to at least win one and draw the remaining fixtures to qualify for the Champions League.
Two victories from three matches would also be enough to secure the Champions League. If Forest lost on Monday night, Arsenal would need just one win from their last three matches to make it to the top tier European competition.
Meanwhile, should Nuno Espirito Santo’s side draw with Palace, one win and a draw would be enough to secure a top five spot but the singular victory should be enough to get the job done.
