Aston Villa statement reveals earliest date Newcastle United can secure Champions League qualification

Newcastle United host Chelsea this weekend knowing that a win could prove vital in the race for Champions League qualification. Eddie Howe’s side host the Blues with the two teams separated by virtue of goals scored in the Premier League table.

Both teams have picked up 63 points this season and have identical +21 goal differences. Newcastle’s 66 goals scored, compared to Chelsea’s 62, is the reason why they will head into Sunday’s game ahead of their visitors in the table.

A win at the weekend would be massive in both sides’ hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League as St James’ Park prepares for the biggest league game it has hosted in a number of seasons. One eye will of course be trained on results elsewhere in the Premier League this weekend, notably at St Mary’s, the Vitality Stadium and City Ground where Manchester City, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest face Southampton, Bournemouth and Leicester City respectively.

A whole host of permutations and combinations of results would dramatically alter the Champions League qualification picture come Sunday evening, however, there is a way that Newcastle United can head to the Emirates Stadium next weekend knowing that Champions League qualification has been secured. That is only possible because of a last minute and controversial Premier League decision.

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur rescheduled

Despite giving supporters just ten days notice, and Aston Villa’s reluctance to move the date of their clash with Spurs, a statement from the Villains has confirmed that Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur will kick-off on Friday 16 May and not, as initially scheduled, on Sunday 18 May. The decision comes at the request of Spurs who want extra time to prepare for the Europa League final which is due to take place on Wednesday 21 May.

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A statement from Villa read: ‘Aston Villa's Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park has been rescheduled. The club's final home game of the 2024/25 campaign will now be played on Friday, May 16, kicking off at 7.30pm. The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.’

Manchester United, Spurs’ potential opponents in Bilbao, also play that night against Chelsea (8:15pm kick-off). Although neither side have guaranteed their place in the final, both teams hold strong aggregate leads heading into their second-legs, with an all-England final seemingly the most likely outcome of those semi-final clashes.

For Newcastle United, this means that should they beat Chelsea on Sunday and both Forest and Villa drop points this weekend, then defeats for Villa and the Blues on Friday 16 May would guarantee their Champions League qualification. A win on Sunday and one at the Emirates Stadium would also guarantee a top-five finish, but sealing qualification before a ball has even been kicked during their clash in north London would be a huge boost for Howe’s team and a massive relief, ensuring that their games against the Gunners and Everton a week later would have nothing but pride riding on them.

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