Premier League clubs participating in Europe face ultra-congested fixture lists in the New Year should they fail to finish in the top eight of their respective league phases, with some facing the prospect of nine games in a 29-day period.
In the Champions League, Arsenal sit at the top of the table after six games, with Manchester City in fourth.
If they finish in the top eight, and Arsenal’s progress is all-but secured, both clubs would play two games in Europe’s elite competition between now and March as a result of automatically progressing to the knockout stages – giving them two much-needed weeks off.
But Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool make up the other English teams in the Champions League and sit outside of the top eight with two rounds of matches remaining.
All three clubs are situated in the top 24 of the table, meaning they would play in the two-legged knockout play-offs in February to secure a spot in the next stage.
There’s no respite in Europe’s other competitions either. The schedule is the same for both the Europa League and Conference League, despite two fewer group games in the latter.
Aston Villa sit third in the Europa League standings, with Nottingham Forest 11th and currently in line for one of those play-off double headers. So too Crystal Palacewho are ninth in the Conference League group phase.
The first leg in the knockouts will be played in the midweek of February 17-19, with the return fixtures on February 24-26.
These two additional games come at a frantic time for English clubs, with the FA Cup fifth round scheduled in the week of the first leg and Premier League fixtures also included.
The first leg of the round of 16 is set to take place on March 10-12 with the second leg on March 17-19.
Clubs finishing outside the top eight would play four Champions League games between now and March, while those breaking into automatic qualification spots will only play two.
Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea also remain in the Carabao Cup and the second legs of their respective semi-finals are being played on February 3 or 4.
The additional Champions League fixtures – alongside Premier League and Carabao Cup games – in February mean that those participating in the play-offs could play a total of nine fixtures across a 29-day period, while those sides already out of the League Cup may face eight games in that time.
How does the Opta Supercomputer predict the CL will finish?
The Opta Supercomputer has predicted the final Champions League league phase table with two games remaining – and some big clubs are set to face a play-off in order to reach the knockout stage.
Six matchdays have been played with Arsenal – who are the only team to hold a 100 per cent record – ahead of Bayern Munich in second and holders Paris Saint-Germain in third.
Opta predicts the top two will stay as it is, with Manchester City finishing above PSG, Atalanta in fifth and Liverpool in sixth.
Last year, in the first edition of this new format, you needed 16 points to make the top eight and 11 (with a handy goal difference) to make the top 24. Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are currently predicted to take seventh and eighth with predicted points totals of 15.8 and 15.5.
This would mean Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle would finish in 11th, 12th and 14th respectively.
Arsenal’s potential fixtures
- January 31 – Leeds (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 – Sunderland (h), Premier League
- February 11 – Brentford (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Tottenham Hotspur (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – Chelsea (h), Premier League
Chelsea’s potential fixtures
- January 31 – West Ham (h), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 – Wolves (a), Premier League
- February 11 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Burnley (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – Arsenal (a), Premier League
Man City’s potential fixtures
- February 1 – Tottenham (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 – Liverpool (a), Premier League
- February 11 – Fulham (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – Leeds (a), Premier League
Liverpool’s potential fixtures
- January 31 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
- February 7 – Man City (h), Premier League
- February 11 – Sunderland (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Nottingham Forest (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – West Ham (h), Premier League
Newcastle’s potential fixtures
- January 31 – Liverpool (a), Premier League
- *Week commencing February 2 – Carabao Cup semi-final second leg
- February 7 – Brentford (h), Premier League
- February 11 – Tottenham (a), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Man City (a), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – Everton (h), Premier League
Tottenham’s potential fixtures
- February 1 – Man City (h), Premier League
- February 7 – Man Utd (a), Premier League
- February 11 – Newcastle (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 17 or 18 – Play-off first leg, Champions League
- February 21 – Arsenal (h), Premier League
- *February 24 or 25 – Play-off second leg, Champions League
- February 28 – Fulham (a), Premier League
Aston Villa’s potential fixtures
- February 1 – Brentford (h), Premier League
- February 7 – Bournemouth (a), Premier League
- February 11 – Brighton (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 – Play-off first leg, Europa League
- February 21 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
- *February 26 – Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 – Wolves (a), Premier League
Nottingham Forest’s potential fixtures
- February 1 – Crystal Palace (h), Premier League
- February 7 – Leeds United (h), Premier League
- February 11 – Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 – Play-off first leg, Europa League
- February 21 – Liverpool (h), Premier League
- *February 26 – Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 – Brighton & Hove Albion (a), Premier League
Crystal Palace’s potential fixtures
- February 1 – Nottm Forest (a), Premier League
- February 7 – Brighton (a), Premier League
- February 11 – Burnley (h), Premier League
- *Weekend of February 14 – FA Cup fourth round
- *February 19 – Play-off first leg, Conference League
- February 21 – Wolverhampton (h), Premier League
- *February 26 – Play-off second leg, Conference League
- February 28 – Manchester United (a), Premier League
*Fixtures marked with an asterisk are only applicable if teams finish from ninth to 24th in their respective European league phase to secure a place in the knock-out play-offs, or progress to the FA Cup fourth round or the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
