Premier League: Newcastle vs Spurs on Sky Sports before run of six live matches over six days | Football News

Tottenham’s visit to Newcastle and West Ham’s trip to Manchester City are among seven games that will be screened live on Sky Sports in the coming weeks.

Newcastle and Spurs are vying for a place in the top four, and go head-to-head at St James’ Park on Sunday, April 23, kick off 2pm.

Title-chasing Manchester City host West Ham on Wednesday, May 3 in the first of six matches across six days that are being televised live.

Manchester United’s visit to Brighton is live the following night, which is also an 8pm kick-off, before Liverpool host Brentford in the early evening Saturday game.

Manchester City vs Leeds United and Newcastle United vs Arsenal is part of a Super Sunday double header before Southampton’s visit to Nottingham Forest on Monday Night Football on May 8.

Top four state of play

The Premier League top-four race is heating up. Just eight points separate Manchester United in third and Brentford in eighth. Finishing fourth might seem a shoo-in for Champions League qualification, but this season it is no guarantee. Here’s why…

Manchester United currently occupy third spot in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag’s side are one point above fourth-placed Tottenham but have two games in hand.

Spurs are two points ahead of fifth-placed Newcastle but have played two more matches than the Magpies, while Liverpool are five points further back in sixth, level with Brighton and Brentford.

How finishing fourth might not be safe

In normal circumstances, the top four teams in the Premier League qualify for the Champions League group stage. So as it stands, that would be Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham.

However, there are also other routes into the competition. Finishing fourth and not qualifying for next season’s competition depends on the performances of Manchester United and Chelsea on the domestic and European stage.

If Chelsea, currently 10th in the Premier League, win the Champions League, they will go straight into the group stage of next season’s competition despite not occupying a traditional qualifying place in the Premier League.

Similarly, if Manchester United win the Europa League, they will automatically qualify for the group stage of next season’s Champions League even if they drop out of the top four in the Premier League.

UEFA rules state there can only be a maximum of five English teams in the Champions League, which means if the above scenario was to happen then fourth place in the Premier League would miss out on Champions League qualification and drop into the Europa League group stage.

Chelsea take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Manchester United face Sevilla in the Europa League last eight.