Three Premier League clashes on Sunday, May 3, 2026, shook up the top-five race and the relegation battle, with Manchester United edging Liverpool 3-2 at Old Trafford, Tottenham Hotspur winning 2-1 at Aston Villa, and AFC Bournemouth thrashing Crystal Palace 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
Manchester United secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool, a result that mathematically confirms the Red Devils’ return to the UEFA Champions League after a two-season absence. United led 2-0 at halftime before Liverpool fought back to level at 2-2 in the second half, but Michael Carrick’s side found a late winner to take all three points. “Things are pretty straight forward for Manchester United entering the weekend: Win against Liverpool, and the Champions League will return to Old Trafford in 2026–27,” analysts noted before the match.
The win moves United to 64 points, guaranteeing they cannot finish lower than fifth with three games remaining. “Victory will guarantee the Red Devils can’t fall lower than fifth in what remains of the campaign,” the club confirmed. Interim manager Michael Carrick has overseen nine wins from 13 Premier League games since replacing Ruben Amorim in January, lifting United from sixth to third.
Liverpool remain fourth on 58 points but saw their cushion over Aston Villa cut. Arne Slot’s side had three straight wins coming into the match, but defensive issues were exposed at Old Trafford. With four games left, it would now “take an almighty collapse” for Liverpool to miss out on Champions League qualification.
At Villa Park, Tottenham Hotspur boosted their survival hopes with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa, deepening Villa’s European hangover. Spurs led 2-0 at the break before Villa pulled one back in the second half. Roberto De Zerbi’s side are 18th and “desperately fighting for their Premier League lives”, but the win gives them a lifeline. Villa, meanwhile, dropped from third to fifth after last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham. Unai Emery’s men are still on course for Champions League football, with an eight-point gap to sixth-placed Brighton.
Earlier on Sunday, AFC Bournemouth defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium. The Cherries were 2-0 up at halftime and added a third after the break to seal a comfortable win. The result was Bournemouth’s latest home success as they continue a strong finish to the 2025/26 season.
Sunday’s results mean Arsenal and Manchester City have already qualified for next season’s Champions League, while United’s win puts them in third on 61 points before kickoff, three clear of Liverpool and Aston Villa. The Premier League’s strong UEFA coefficient performance has guaranteed a fifth automatic Champions League place for 2026/27.
United’s return to Europe’s top competition could trigger wage increases for players, with reports of a 25 per cent rise clause in some contracts. For Liverpool, the focus now shifts to securing their own top-five spot. If they had beaten United, “that could be enough to guarantee a top-five finish”, but Slot’s men now need to regroup with four matches left.
The Premier League continues on Monday, May 4, 2026, when Everton host Manchester City at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
