Liverpool handed boost without kicking ball as Champions League hopes ended
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCLiverpool remains in a strong position to qualify for next season's Champions League, and one of the chasing pack's hopes was extinguished on MondayNottingham Forest ended Chelsea's slim hopes of Champions League qualification on Monday(Image: 2026 Getty Images)Liverpool was handed a boost in its pursuit of Champions League qualification on Monday as it became mathematically impossible for Chelsea to finish in the top five.Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest ruled the Blues out of contention to qualify for Europe's premier club competition, as the crisis continues to deepen at Stamford Bridge.In a game that saw players from both teams suffer head injuries, a brace from Taiwo Awoniyi and a goal from Igor Jesus put Forest 3-0 up before Joao Pedro's excellent bicycle-kick consolation goal in stoppage time.The result leaves Chelsea 10 points off the top five after a run of six successive Premier League defeats.With just three games of the season remaining, the highest position that it is mathematically possible for Chelsea to finish in is sixth.READ MORE: Georginio Wijnaldum's World Cup dream over after uncomfortable phone callREAD MORE: Alisson transfer update drops as Liverpool 'looking for replacements' in summerConsidering the team's atrocious form, a sixth-place finish doesn't look remotely likely at the moment, particularly considering the solid form of the three teams above Chelsea in the table.Those three teams — Bournemouth, Brentford, and Brighton — are the only other teams that remain mathematically capable of overtaking some of the teams that are currently in the top five.Arsenal and Manchester City secured qualification several weeks ago, while Manchester United joined them with its victory over Liverpool on Sunday.Liverpool and Aston Villa sit fourth and fifth, respectively, on 58 points, meaning they are both still technically within striking distance of Bournemouth, Brentford, and Brighton.Liverpool remains a strong position to qualify for the Champions League despite Sunday's loss to Man UnitedIt remains highly unlikely, though, that Liverpool or Villa will miss out on a place in the top five, due to the gap between them and the chasing pack.Bournemouth are on 52 points, Brentford are on 51, and Brighton are on 50.Wins for Liverpool and Villa next weekend will put both teams out of reach of Brentford and Brighton, while Bournemouth would have to win to keep its slim hopes alive.Liverpool hosts Chelsea next weekend, before a trip to Villa Park in the penultimate game of the season, and a home game against Brentford to round out the campaign.Arne Slot's men can absolutely guarantee themselves a place in the Champions League next term by taking four points from those remaining three games, irrespective of what results occur elsewhere.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCChampions LeagueChelsea FC