Liverpool's last four fixtures compared to Man Utd, Aston Villa and Chelsea

Liverpool's win over Crystal Palace on Saturday has taken it a step closer to securing Champions League qualification, with four games now remaining for Arne Slot's side

Liverpool has moved a step closer to securing Champions League qualification(Image: Getty Images)

The job is almost done for Liverpool, although with four games still to go, the Reds can’t rest on their laurels just yet.

Saturday’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, courtesy of goals from Alexander Isak, Andy Robertson and Florian Wirtz, has put Liverpool within six points of wrapping up qualification for next season’s Champions League, and that target may yet come down before its next game.

Arne Slot and his players of course know that a top five finish will be enough for a spot at Europe’s top table, and having moved up to fourth now, their chances of achieving that have risen even more.

A tricky final month awaits though, and there are still plenty of teams looking to pounce on any slip-up. Here’s a look at how Liverpool’s final four fixtures compare to their rivals for the top five…

Manchester United (3rd - 58pts)

• Brentford (A) - April 27
• Liverpool (H) - May 3
• Sunderland (A) - May 9
• Nottingham Forest (H) - May 17
• Brighton (A) - May 24

United is well and truly in pole position to qualify for the Champions League, given it is yet to play this weekend and has still managed to hold on to third place in the table.

A win over Brentford on Monday will all but do the job for Michael Carrick's side. That would take it out of sight of the Bees and Chelsea, and just two points off being absolutely assured of a top-five finish.

Liverpool (4th - 58pts)

• Manchester United (A) - May 3
• Chelsea (H) - May 9
• Aston Villa (A) - May 17
• Brentford (H) - May 24

The Reds are almost there, and that win over Palace could prove crucial with a tough final month of the season coming up now.

United, Chelsea and Villa in the next three games is certainly a tricky run. As things stand, Liverpool still needs a maximum of six points to qualify for the Champions League, although moving up to fourth affords it a bit more protection now.

Liverpool is just six points away from qualifying for the Champions League

Aston Villa (5th - 58pts)

• Tottenham (H) - May 3
• Burnley (A) - May 10
• Liverpool (H) - May 17
• Man City (A) - May 24

Villa's situation is complicated by the fact that they have a Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest to add into the mix, and no doubt Unai Emery will be thinking about that as he weighs up his teams over the next few weeks.

Like Liverpool, the equation is simple - get six points and the job is done. With games against Tottenham and already-relegated Burnley up next, Villa will expect to be secure pretty soon.

Brighton (6th - 50pts)

• Newcastle (A) - May 2
• Wolves (H) - May 9
• Leeds (A) - May 17
• Manchester United (H) - May 24

Brighton leads the chasing pack at the moment, courtesy of its midweek win over Chelsea, and looking at its next three fixtures, there is every reason for the Seagulls to be feeling confident.

Of course, they will have to rely on at least one of the three sides above them dropping at least eight points over their final fixtures, but Fabian Hurzeler's side look well placed for a spot in the Europa League at least.

Bournemouth (7th - 49pts)

• Crystal Palace (H) - May 3
• Fulham (A) - May 9
• Man City (H) - May 17
• Nottingham Forest (A) - May 24

Bournemouth missed a great opportunity to turn the heat up on the likes of Liverpool and Villa after conceding a stoppage-time equalizer against Leeds in midweek.

That might prove to be a hammer blow to its hopes of a Champions League spot, but it will hope to wrap up some kind of European place.

Chelsea (8th - 48pts)

• Nottingham Forest (H) - May 4
• Liverpool (A) - May 9
• Tottenham (H) - May 17
• Sunderland (A) - May 24

Chelsea looks as though it is out of the running now, and the Blues may just be worrying about getting any sort of European spot.

Liam Rosenior has paid the price for his side's wretched form, and if Chelsea drops any sort of points in their remaining games, then it really will be the end of its Champions League dreams.

Brentford (9th - 48pts)

• Manchester United (A) - April 27
• West Ham (H) - May 2
• Man City (A) - May 9
• Crystal Palace (H) - May 17
• Liverpool (A) - May 24

Although Brentford sits ninth, it actually has the highest possible tally of the sides sitting below the current top five. That is of course down to the fact that it still has to play this weekend.

United could actually do Liverpool a favor by winning Monday's game, and beyond that, trips to the Etihad and Anfield do look quite daunting for Keith Andrews' side.