Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest odds to finish top 4 

With Liverpool already crowned Premier League champions after a dominant campaign, the battle for a top-four finish remains wide open. 

Just six points separate second-placed Arsenal from seventh-placed Nottingham Forest, who trail fourth-placed Manchester City by only three points. With such fine margins, the race is far from over.

In this blog, we assess the chances of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest breaking into the top four, as the season heads into its final two matches.

Bet on Football with William Hill

Aston Villa 9/2 

Under Unai Emery’s guidance, Aston Villa have enjoyed another impressive season and remain firmly in the hunt for a top four finish. Currently sitting sixth in the table with 63 points, Villa have recorded 18 wins, 9 draws, and 9 losses from 36 matches—identical to Chelsea’s tally. However, Villa trail the Blues by 12 goals on goal difference, which explains Chelsea’s shorter 9/4 odds to secure a Champions League spot.

While it’s unlikely that Arsenal, Manchester City or Newcastle falter significantly in their remaining fixtures, Villa still have a pathway to the top four. They host Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 37 before traveling to face Manchester United in their final match. With Spurs and United focused on their Europa League campaigns, Villa may have the upper hand—particularly against Spurs at home, where their form has been strong all season.

With little left to salvage in the league for either Spurs or United, Villa are likely to throw everything at these final two games. If United’s Europa League fate is already decided, they may rotate heavily on the final day, giving Villa a strong chance of claiming all six points. Still, their hopes hinge on other top four contenders slipping up.

Nottingham Forest 22/1 

Nottingham Forest face an uphill battle in their bid to break into the Premier League’s top four, despite spending much of the season there. Even with maximum points from their final two fixtures, Forest would finish on 68 points —likely still short unless results elsewhere go in their favour.

Their final game of the season, at home to Chelsea, could potentially be decisive in the top four race, though the odds of it being a straight shootout are slim. Before that, however, Forest must travel to face a dangerous West Ham side, who recently beat Manchester United at Old Trafford with a 2–0 victory. That match could be the true litmus test for Forest’s hopes, especially considering West Ham’s strong home form and style of play, which has caused problems for many top sides this season.

Regardless of how the campaign concludes, Nuno Espírito Santo deserves immense credit. In his first full season in charge, he’s transformed Forest into genuine European contenders after saving them from relegation last year—despite navigating a points deduction. Even a fifth-place finish, potentially enough for Champions League qualification under UEFA’s revised format, would represent a remarkable achievement for both manager and club, and set a strong foundation for next season.