Chelsea seal top four

CHELSEA CAN start planning for the UEFA Champions League again. Manchester United, though, will have to settle for Europa League football next season after a dismal end to this campaign reached another low.

The Premier League’s top-four picture crystallised yesterday as Chelsea earned a 3-0 home win against Watford while United and Arsenal were both held to 1-1 draws.

It means Chelsea are guaranteed to finish at least fourth – earning a coveted Champions League spot after a year in the Europa League – while United can no longer end up better than fifth after next weekend’s final round.

“We haven’t deserved to be a top-four (side),”United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said after his team limped to a draw at already relegated Huddersfield. “When we got the opportunities, we weren’t able to really grab them. Today was just the confirmation of a long season. Because in the end, the table doesn’t lie.”

Arsenal, meanwhile, will need a small miracle to overtake fourth-place Tottenham as they trail their north London rivals by three points and an eight-goal margin on goal difference. The Gunners were also held 1-1 by Brighton at the Emirates in their final home game of the season, meaning they will probably have to win the Europa League in order to clinch a Champions League spot.

Chelsea and Arsenal could meet in the Europa League final if they both advance from the second leg of the semi-finals on Thursday.

‘Today was just the confirmation of a long season. Because in the end, the table doesn’t lie.’

AP Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud (front) connects with the ball to hit a powerful shot past Watford’s Craig Cathcart (top) during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London yesterday.

AP Manchester United’s Phil Jones (right) goes up for the ball during their English Premier League match against Huddersfield Town at The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield, England, yesterday.