What could be decided in the English Premier League this weekend?

Here’s everything to look out for in Match week 36, including what Liverpool FC, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa could achieve.

With three rounds of fixtures remaining in a gripping 2025/26 Premier League season, there is still plenty to be decided. While the thrilling title race will not be settled in Match week 36, several team and individual targets could be achieved.Here’s all you need to know about the permutations and possibilities in the race for Europe, the battle to avoid relegation and more.

Two Champions League spots up for grabs

With Manchester United joining Arsenal FC and Manchester City in securing UEFA Champions League football for next season after beating Liverpool last weekend, only two guaranteed spots remain in Europe’s top club competition — and both could be filled this weekend.Liverpool and Aston Villa currently sit fourth and fifth respectively, with the Reds hosting Chelsea FC on Saturday and Villa travelling to Burnley FC on Sunday.Both sides will secure Champions League qualification if they win and sixth-placed AFC Bournemouth drop points away to Fulham FC on Saturday. A draw would also be enough for Liverpool and Villa if Bournemouth lose.

However, sixth place could still earn Champions League qualification. That would happen if Villa finish fifth in the Premier League and go on to win the UEFA Europa League.Villa host Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday, trailing 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg.

Leeds and Forest on verge of safety

Leeds United and Forest both moved closer to securing their Premier League status thanks to 3-1 victories in Match week 35, beating Burnley at home and Chelsea away respectively.

Victory for Leeds at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night will guarantee their top-flight status for next season regardless of results elsewhere. They could even be safe before kick-off in North London if West Ham United lose at home to Arsenal on Sunday. If West Ham draw with Arsenal, Leeds will only need a draw against Spurs.Forest will also be safe if they beat Newcastle United at home on Sunday and West Ham fail to beat Arsenal later in the day. A draw would be enough for Forest if Arsenal defeat the Hammers.Forest’s goal difference (-2) is currently 17 better than West Ham’s (-19), meaning an unlikely goal swing across the remaining matches would be required for the Hammers to overtake Vitor Pereira’s side, even if they close the six-point gap.Crystal Palace — who have a game in hand against Manchester City on 13 May — can mathematically secure a 14th consecutive Premier League campaign with victory at home to Everton FC on Sunday. Palace only need to match West Ham’s result against Arsenal to guarantee survival.

Raya aiming to win Golden Glove outright

David Raya could clinch the Golden Glove award outright this weekend after ensuring at least a share of it by keeping a clean sheet in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Fulham last Saturday. That was his 17th clean sheet of the season, surpassing his previous best of 16 in 2023/24.Raya is four clean sheets ahead of his nearest challenger, Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City, so he will secure the award outright if he keeps another clean sheet against West Ham.Arsenal’s No.1 won the award outright in 2023/24 before sharing it with Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels last season. By guaranteeing at least a share of the 2025/26 Golden Glove, Raya has already become the first goalkeeper since Joe Hart between 2011 and 2013 to win it in three consecutive seasons.

Fernandes targeting all-time assists record

Bruno Fernandes has arguably enjoyed the best individual season of his career, and the Manchester United captain could still make history by recording the most assists in a single Premier League season.With 19 assists so far in 2025/26, Fernandes is just one short of the record of 20 set by Thierry Henry in 2002/03 and matched by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019/20.The Portuguese midfielder has three matches remaining to equal or break the record, beginning with United’s trip to Sunderland AFC on Saturday.Despite playing a key role in Benjamin Sesko’s goal against Liverpool last weekend by heading the ball across goal for the Slovenian to score, Fernandes was not credited with a Premier League assist. As a result, his tally remained unchanged.Still, Sunderland should be wary — Fernandes has not gone back-to-back Premier League matches without registering an assist since late February.Even if he does not equal or surpass the record, Fernandes remains on course to win his first Coca-Cola Premier League Golden Playmaker award. He currently leads the division’s assist chart by eight over Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki.