Ranked: 10 Worst Premier League Teams to Get Champions League Football (2013–2025)

In every Premier League season, the race for Champions League spots dominates headlines. Fans and analysts usually expect England’s footballing giants—Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United—to claim those coveted places. But football is unpredictable, and every now and then, a club defies expectations.That’s how we ended up with this list of the worst Premier League teams to get Champions League football—clubs that didn’t dominate their seasons, barely scraped results, and still somehow finished in the top four or five. Whether due to favourable fixture runs, lucky results, or underperformance from bigger teams, these sides managed to qualify for Europe’s biggest stage, despite the odds—and often, the stats.

Now, with Nottingham Forest looking likely to join this list in 2024–25, it’s the perfect time to look back at the most underwhelming UCL qualifiers of the past decade.

Top 10 Worst Premier League Teams to Get Champions League Football

10. Manchester United – 2017–18

• Points per game: 2.13
  
  
• Finishing position: 2nd
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.6
  
  

Despite finishing second, United’s style and performances lacked conviction. A string of fortunate results masked deeper issues, leading to high expectations, inevitable disappointment, and a familiar managerial sacking.

9. Chelsea – 2024–25

• Points per game: 1.74
  
  
• Current position: 4th
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.57
  
  

Chelsea have struggled with consistency but find themselves in the UCL race. Market projections still rank them among the top four, yet their performances suggest otherwise—highlighting the strange reality of this season’s top four battle.

8. Manchester City – 2024–25

• Points per game: 1.7
  
  
• Current position: 5th
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.52
  
  

Even the mighty City aren’t immune. A drop in form and unexpected defensive lapses have put them on this list of worst Premier League teams to get Champions League spots, based purely on how far their performances have dipped compared to previous seasons.

7. Manchester United – 2020–21

• Points per game: 1.95
  
  
• Finishing position: 2nd
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.58
  
  

United again appear with another statistically shaky campaign. Their second-place finish was flattering, with poor underlying metrics and reliance on individual brilliance leading to unsustainable form.

6. Arsenal – 2013–14

• Points per game: 2.08
  
  
• Finishing position: 3rd
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.46
  
  

A talented squad boosted by Özil and Sánchez, but still short of elite. Arsenal’s results belied their actual on-pitch performances, making them one of the earliest examples of modern underachievers earning Champions League qualification.

5. Manchester United – 2022–23

• Points per game: 1.97
  
  
• Finishing position: 3rd
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.44
  
  

Ten Hag brought improvement, but not enough to mask United’s flaws. Despite the hype, they had the sixth-best goal differential in the league, and only two teams with worse differentials have ever reached the UCL.

4. Manchester United – 2014–15

• Points per game: 1.84
  
  
• Finishing position: 4th
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.4
  
  

United’s post-Ferguson rebuild stumbled under Van Gaal. They scraped back into Europe, but their dull style and poor stats earned them a spot on this list of the worst Premier League teams to get Champions League football.

3. Tottenham Hotspur – 2018–19

• Points per game: 1.87
  
  
• Finishing position: 4th
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.37
  
  

They reached the Champions League final—but the road there was paved with lacklustre league form. The following season? A Pochettino sacking and a rebuild. Classic symptoms of a team punching above their statistical weight.

2. Nottingham Forest – 2024–25

• Points per game: 1.9
  
  
• Current position: 3rd
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.19
  
  

The newest entry and perhaps the most shocking. Forest allow more shots than they take, yet their counter-attacking style—led by the ageless Chris Wood—has brought massive results. Their unsustainable numbers earn them the second spot among the worst Premier League teams to get Champions League spots.

1. Aston Villa – 2023–24

• Points per game: 1.79
  
  
• Finishing position: 4th
  
  
• Adjusted-goal differential: +0.19
  
  

Statistically, the weakest UCL qualifier in recent Premier League history. With 61 goals conceded, Villa’s defense was worse than many mid-table teams. They were good enough in attack, but their numbers suggest they got very, very lucky.

Conclusion: When Stats and Success Don’t Match

Champions League football is usually reserved for elite Premier League teams—but every so often, the door opens for clubs with unconvincing performances, low goal differentials, or streaky form.

This list of the worst Premier League teams to get Champions League qualification shows that fortune, timing, and a bit of chaos can sometimes outweigh pure footballing quality.

With Nottingham Forest on the brink of adding their name to this infamous club, only time will tell if their form is a fluke—or the start of something special.

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