Six or seven Premier League clubs could qualify for next season’s Champions League, with England guaranteed at least five spots in the league. Arsenal have already booked their spot and ensured that England would secure the European Performance Spot (EPS) by defeating Sporting in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
The victory in Lisbon confirmed that UEFA will give the Premier League an extra spot in next year’s league matches, ensuring they will benefit from EPS for the second consecutive season. Despite this, England could have up to seven teams in next season’s Champions League, one more than the six teams that took part this season.
In addition to the standard four spots, Newcastle United received an EPS spot, while Tottenham Hotspur also qualified as Europa League winners. Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest could also follow suit by lifting the trophy. Forest would become the sixth club to qualify if they win, as Spurs hover precariously above the relegation zone, just as they did when they won the title 12 months ago.
However, Villa currently sit in fourth place, so they have a chance of clinching Europa League glory and finishing inside the top five. If it finishes in 5th place, 6th place will benefit from EPS instead. Furthermore, if an English club wins the Champions League, it could also affect the distribution of the Premier League.
Liverpool finish in fifth place, but if they win another European Cup, they will also qualify for sixth place. However, if both Liverpool and Villa win this season’s UEFA competition, the seventh-placed team will receive EPS.
6th place will qualify for the Europa League, and 7th place will qualify for the Conference League. Nevertheless, Liverpool and Villa’s European victories could give a boost to many teams.
Just seven points separate seventh-placed Brentford and 14th-placed Crystal Palace, with both teams also with one point in hand. Only goal difference separates the Bees and Everton, with a further two points separating them from Fulham.
Brighton & Hove Albion and Sunderland are just one point behind, while Bournemouth and Newcastle United are four points clear of seventh place. Even if seventh place does not qualify for the Champions League, all of these clubs will be aiming to qualify for one of UEFA’s competitions.
Liverpool have moved further up the table, now in fifth place, five points behind fourth-placed Villa. Chelsea are currently sixth in the table, one point below the Reds but just two points above Brentford.
These teams could drop out of the top seven alongside Manchester United with seven games remaining. Manchester City are the only club apart from Arsenal that are guaranteed to qualify for next season’s UEFA competition.
