Premier League Top 4 Race: Why Liverpool Are Now Favourites For Europe

Published on April 18th, 2026

Three results across three days. Three dropped points for the teams above Liverpool.

The Premier League Top Four Race has flipped on its head in the space of a single round of fixtures, and the reigning champions are suddenly right back in the picture at 5/6.

The Champions Are Back in the Hunt For Top Four

Liverpool have seen their odds of finishing in the top four of the Premier League cut to 5/6 with BOYLE Sports after their main rivals all dropped points in the latest round of action. The Reds bounced back from successive away defeats at Brighton , Manchester City and Paris St Germain to beat Fulham 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday thanks to goals from teenager Rio Ngumoha and Mohamed Salah .

There was even better news to come for the 2024/25 champions with Aston Villa , Chelsea and Manchester United all failing to win. On Sunday, Villa were held 1-1 at relegation-fighting Nottingham Forest while Chelsea were thumped 3-0 by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. Then, on Monday night, Manchester United were deservedly beaten 2-1 at home by Leeds , who claimed their first league victory at Old Trafford since 1981.

Man United’s Top Four Chances

United remain in third spot and are 1/6 to finish the season in the top four but Michael Carrick's men are now level on 55 points with Villa ( 4/9 for top four), with Liverpool only three points behind.

Can This Team Close The Gap In Top Four Race?

Chelsea are sixth, four points adrift of Liverpool , and looking in real danger of dropping out of the hunt for Champions League spots unless they can turn their poor form around. Liam Rosenior's team have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions and there are now six teams - down to 12th-placed Fulham - who are within four points of the Blues.

Chelsea have gone out from 4/1 to 7/1 for a top-four finish following their defeat to City , with perhaps the biggest threat to United , Villa and Liverpool now coming from ninth-placed Brighton .

The Seagulls' 2-0 win at Burnley was a fifth victory in six matches for Fabien Hurzeler's team, moving them to within two points of Chelsea , and their top-four odds have been slashed to 66/1 from 150/1 before the weekend. Brighton still need to make up nine points on United and Villa but their final six fixtures include four against teams in the bottom seven, along with home matches against out-of-form Chelsea and the Red Devils, who they host on the final day.