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Football London
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Elliott Jackson & Aidan McCartney

The nightmare Champions League scenario for Arsenal and Chelsea if they finish fourth

The battle to finish in the top four is going to go right down to the wire.

Tottenham lost 1-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday to open the door to Chelsea and Arsenal to close the gap on their London rivals on Sunday.

As things stand, it’s Spurs in the driving seat in third with 70 points, with Chelsea three behind on 67 with a game in hand.

Arsenal are a further point back, also with a game in hand on Spurs, while Manchester United sit sixth on 64 points.

However, there is a way that Chelsea or Arsenal could miss out on the Champions League, even if they both finished in the top four.

No country can have six teams in Europe’s elite competition, which means one of the two London rivals could miss out.

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If Chelsea were to finish fourth and Arsenal won the Europa League, whilst finishing fifth or sixth, and Tottenham win the Champions League and finish outside the top four, Sarri’s side would miss out on a place in the Champions League.

Similarly, if Arsenal were to finish fourth, Chelsea win the Europa League and finish fifth or sixth and Tottenham win the Champions League whilst finishing fifth or sixth, then the Gunners would be the side to drop into the Europa League.

Should Manchester United break into the top four, they would be in a similar position. If Tottenham claim European glory and Arsenal or Chelsea do the same, with Spurs and Chelsea/Arsenal finishing in fifth and sixth, they would be the team to miss out.

Spurs fans will be keen to see their side out of the equation after suffering a similar fate under Harry Redknapp in 2012. Tottenham missed out on a place in the Champions League despite finishing fourth after Chelsea won the tournament and finished sixth in the table.

That rule has since been altered, allowing five, but not six, teams from one country in. However, this hasn’t stopped Arsenal and Chelsea fans fretting that they could suffer the same fate as their rivals, six years previous.

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Arsenal and Chelsea will be desperate to return to the elite European competition (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)

With two and three crucial matches to be played, it looks like this battle will go right down the wire.

Chelsea have the toughest run-in on paper when compared to Unai Emery’s side.

The Blues take on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United at Old Trafford the following Sunday.

Watford then visit Stamford Bridge before Sarri’s side round off the season against Leicester City on May 12.

Arsenal have a trip to the Foxes, before taking on struggling Brighton at the Emirates. Unai Emery could see his side’s destiny decided on the final day of the season when they travel to Burnley.

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