Brighton have had quite the remarkable turnaround in form in recent weeks, and are now pushing for a genuine chance of Champions League football. This relies heavily on whether Aston Villa can finish 5th while winning the Europa League.

Villa face Nottingham Forest for their first-leg tie this week in the semi-finals. A big unknown question could be answered for Brighton fans before they even face Newcastle at the weekend. 

If this were to happen, the 6th spot would open up the opportunity for Champions League qualification, where Brighton are currently sitting in the table. 

Brentford's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United last night has improved the chances for Albion, as their fate is now in their hands. No more looking over the shoulders or relying on other sides to drop points. 

The remaining fixtures for Albion seem relatively kind too. 

The next game against Newcastle is huge. The Magpies are incredibly out of form; in fact, they have been one of the key surprises of the season so far.

There's no guarantee that they actually stay in the Premier League this season! The likes of Anthony Gordon, Eddie Howe and Sandro Tonali have all been linked with departures in some capacity. 

Of course, that doesn't make it an easy game; St. James Park is always a tough ground to go to. The Seagulls do tend to enjoy their fixtures there, including two wins there last season in both league and cup. With everything back in their hands, there is a big opportunity to come away with three points. 

The next two games after this are the most interesting. Leeds United away and Wolverhampton Wanderers at home. Two games against two sides who could have nothing to play for. Leeds are all but safe, and their impressive end to the season has done them wonders towards survival. Full credit to Daniel Farke and his team!

Going to Elland Road when they are close to party atmosphere with nothing to play for would suit Albion well. Get the job done and get out of there with three points in hand. All of a sudden, you're looking at an already relegated side and a Manchester United team that could have already qualified for Champions League football by that point.

Wolves are down, and there's a part of me that applauds their efforts to disrupt on their way down. With that being said, there are no excuses.

You beat a relegated side, and you finish the job. Fabian Hürzeler's side have quality in abundance, and to imagine a world where we can't get the likes of Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, etc., to not be motivated for these types of games would seem incomprehensible. 

By this point, you'd expect other sides around Brighton to drop points. Of course, a lot of this remains in Villa's hands. Winning the Europa League isn't a given, but it isn't unlikely. Unai Emery knows his way around the competition, and Villa have enough strength in depth to compete on both fronts. The main issue would be if they overtake Liverpool for 4th spot, but we can leave that down to fate.

I'd put it as a less than 50% likelihood, but without saying the word "unlikely".

The reality is, these variables could well fall into place. Brighton are well-positioned, and should they continue focusing on themselves, wins seem to be coming from all angles at the moment. 

For now, the future is in the hands of the Seagulls.

If there is one manager inside the top 6 and those competing for results, I'd back Hürzeler to continue to get the job done.

Whether it is the Europa League or the Champions League that Albion are playing in next season, the fact that we have these conversations is a sign that we have come a long, long way together.