Europa League permutations: What Premier League teams and Celtic need to progress in final matchweek

The Europa League League Phase comes to a close this evening, with plenty up for grabs for the English and Scottish teams.

Unfortunately, after a terrible start, Rangers can’t make the play-offs, but they at least finally won a game last week.

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But Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Celtic still have plenty to play for.

Unai Emery‘s Villa have secured a top-eight spot, but they can still finish top of the table.

Meanwhile, Forest can also get in the top eight, and Celtic are clinging onto a play-off spot.

Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at what all the British teams need…

Aston Villa

No matter what happens in Villa’s final match, they can’t finish outside of the top eight.

They have 18 points from their seven matches so far, and should they better Lyon’s result on Thursday, they’ll claim top spot.

The French side have the same points, but their goal difference is three better than Villa.

So Villa can even finish top if both sides win if they thrash RB Salzburg.

Nottingham Forest

Forest have been inconsistent in Europe so far, winning three, drawing two and losing two to leave them in 16th place on 11 points.

They have already secured a play-off spot, but they will want to finish in the top 16 to have a home tie second in the play-off, and they can finish in the top eight.

For this to happen, they need Real Betis to lose to Feyenoord.

They would also require Porto to lose at home to Rangers.

Then if Genk, Red Star Belgrade, PAOK, Stuttgart, Celta Vigo and Bologna fail to win, Sean Dyche‘s men would sneak into eighth with a win.

To take a spot in the top 16, a win would be enough at home to Ferencvaros.

But anything other than three points could see them finish as low as 24th with an eight-goal swing to Celtic.

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Celtic

Celtic are currently sat in 24th-place, which is the last play-off spot.

They have eight points, and face 34th-place Utrecht at home in their final match.

Should Martin O’Neil’s men win, they would seal a place in the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

However, dropped points would be a serious problem.

A draw would see the Bhoys crash out if Ludogorets, Feyernood and Basel won.

FCSB and Go Ahead Eagles would also finish above Celtic with three and four-goal swings, respectively.

A defeat would lead to the exact same teams being able to pass Celtic with wins, bar Ludogorets, who would just need a draw due to their superior goal difference.

FCSB and Go Ahead Eagles also wouldn’t need any goal swings.