2023/24 Champions League qualification race: Aston Villa, Tottenham and Man Utd fixtures compared

  • Aston Villa sit in fourth place after stunning run of form but were recently thrashed by Tottenham
  • Ange Postecoglou's Spurs are behind in fifth with a game in hand
  • Man Utd face tough end to season after unbeaten start to 2024 ended with back-to-back league losses
Spurs, Villa and Man Utd all want Champions League football
Spurs, Villa and Man Utd all want Champions League football / Marc Atkins / Contributor / Michael Regan / Staff / PAUL ELLIS / Contributor
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Qualifying for the 2024/25 Champions League could prove to be a game-changer for some of England's biggest clubs.

While Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are embroiled in a three-horse Premier League title race, the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United are further behind trying to secure the last spot in the top four.

There's every chance fifth position could be good enough to reach UEFA's flagship club competition as the number of participants increases from 32 to 36, though that still depends on teams' results on the continent from now until the end of the season.

Here are Aston Villa, Tottenham and Man Utd's fixtures final Premier League fixtures compared as each side tries to battle their way to Champions League qualification.


Aston Villa's remaining Premier League fixtures

Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey
Villa want Champions League football / Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

Aston Villa's form in 2023/24 has shaken up the Champions League qualification race and Unai Emery's side had looked well set to secure a top-four position.

However, there's still plenty of time for things to go wrong at Villa Park. Their most recent outing saw Emery's outfit destroyed 4-0 by rivals Tottenham, who hold a game in hand in their bid for fourth place. Villa also have to play another four of the Premier League's big six before the campaign ends.

With clashes against Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton and Liverpool taking place in the last six gameweeks, Villa's hopes of Champions League qualification could go down to the wire.


Date

Time

Fixture

17/03/24

14:00

West Ham vs Aston Villa

30/03/24

17:30

Aston Villa vs Wolves

03/04/24

20:15

Man City vs Aston Villa

06/04/24

15:00

Aston Villa vs Brentford

13/04/24

17:30

Arsenal vs Aston Villa

20/04/24

15:00

Aston Villa vs Bournemouth

27/04/24

15:00

Aston Villa vs Chelsea

04/05/24

15:00

Brighton vs Aston Villa

11/05/24

15:00

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

19/05/24

16:00

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa


Aston Villa's fixtures in other competitions

Unlike both Tottenham and Man Utd, Villa are also competing on the European front as they try to seal Champions League qualification.

The Villans have a Europa Conference League last-16 tie with Ajax to navigate and secured a goalless draw in the first leg but still sit among the favourites to win UEFA's third-ranked club competition.


Date

Time

Fixture

Competition

07/03/24

17:45

Ajax 0-0 Aston Villa

Europa Conference League

14/03/24

20:00

Aston Villa vs Ajax

Europa Conference League


Tottenham's remaining Premier League fixtures

Cristian Romero, Emerson Roya
Tottenham haven't given up on fourth place / Richard Pelham/GettyImages

The resulting mess of a mass injury crisis earlier this term may well prove to be the difference between Tottenham securing Champions League football or ending up in a less prestigious competition.

Ange Postecoglou's Spurs were flying before a chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in early November when they suffered a number of fitness blows. Since then, results have been more inconsistent but they remain bang in the hunt for a top-four spot.

The 4-0 thrashing of Villa could help Tottenham go on a run in the final third of the campaign, but a fixture list from mid-April to early May that sees Spurs clash with Newcastle, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool could severely damage their Champions League hopes.

That said, Postecoglou's side have pulled surprise wins out of the bag regularly in 2023/24, so don't be surprised if Tottenham are still in contention come the final day of the season.


Date

Time

Fixture

16/03/24

17:30

Fulham vs Tottenham

30/03/24

15:00

Tottenham vs Luton Town

02/04/24

20:15

West Ham vs Tottenham

08/04/24

20:00

Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest

13/04/24

12:30

Newcastle vs Tottenham

20/04/24

15:00

Tottenham vs Man City

27/04/24

15:00

Tottenham vs Arsenal

04/05/24

15:00

Liverpool vs Tottenham

11/05/24

15:00

Tottenham vs Burnley

19/05/24

16:00

Sheffield United vs Tottenham


Tottenham's fixtures in other competitions

After they failed to qualify for any European football last season and were knocked out of the FA Cup, Spurs only have Premier League fixtures to look forward to before the end of the campaign.


Man Utd's remaining Premier League fixtures

Bruno Fernandes
Man Utd have a lot of work to do / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

After an impressive start to 2024, life is quickly falling apart again for Erik ten Hag and Man Utd.

The 3-1 Manchester derby loss in early March saw the Red Devils slip six points behind Tottenham in fifth, leaving them in desperate need of a dramatic collapse from one of their rivals to pip a Champions League spot.

Having already played Tottenham and Villa twice in league action this campaign, Man Utd will have to concentrate on their own fixtures.

Their run-in is relatively kind, with matches against Brentford and Chelsea on the horizon. Title hopefuls Liverpool and Arsenal provide the sternest opposition in the final few months, but the final-day result at Brighton may also have a large bearing on Ten Hag's future as United manager.


Date

Time

Fixture

16/03/24

15:00

Man Utd P-P Sheffield Utd

30/03/24

20:00

Brentford vs Man Utd

04/04/24

20:15

Chelsea vs Man Utd

07/04/24

15:30

Man Utd vs Liverpool

14/04/24

16:30

Bournemouth vs Man Utd

20/04/24

15:00

Man Utd vs Newcastle

27/04/24

15:00

Man Utd vs Burnley

04/05/24

15:00

Crystal Palace vs Man Utd

11/05/24

15:00

Man Utd vs Arsenal

19/05/24

16:00

Brighton vs Man Utd


Man Utd's fixtures in other competitions

Their limp performances in the Champions League meant Man Utd dropped out of Europe altogether, but there's still hope of silverware being brought back to new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe before the season is out in the form of the FA Cup.

The Red Devils meet Liverpool in the quarter-finals at Old Trafford in mid-March. Defeat would keep their great rivals' quadruple hopes alive and kill any lingering dreams of cup glory for United in 2023/24.


Date

Time

Fixture

Competition

17/03/24

15:30

Man Utd vs Liverpool

FA Cup


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