Sky Sports takes a look at the state of play among the teams still in contention to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League and the Europa Conference League next season
Sunday 28 May 2023 23:53, UK
Manchester United have joined Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle in securing Champions League football, but who will grab the final place in Europe next season?
United secured Champions League qualification after thrashing Chelsea 4-1 at Old Trafford, however, who will make it into next season's Europa Conference League, with three teams still fighting to finish in seventh?
Elsewhere, Brighton have confirmed their place in the Europa League football next season after holding Man City to a 1-1 draw.
They are now certain to finish in sixth.
But while the identity of the top six is confirmed, three teams are still fighting to take seventh and the final place in Europe that could be earned through league position.
Aston Villa, Tottenham (57 points) and Brentford (56 points) all go into the final day of the season with a chance of playing in the Europe Conference league.
For Brentford to finish seventh, they have to beat City and hope that Villa do not win against Brighton or Tottenham are not victorious at Leeds.
Tottenham will finish above Villa if they better Villa's result on the final day as the two teams are currently level on goal difference.
Villa are certain of finishing seventh if they defeat Brighton or if they draw and Tottenham do not win. In the event that Villa draw, Tottenham lose and Brentford win, Brentford would finish seventh on goal difference.
Aston Villa's remaining game: Brighton (h)
Tottenham's remaining game: Leeds (a)
Brentford's remaining game: Manchester City (h)
West Ham will earn a place in next season's Europa League group stage should they beat Fiorentina in Prague on June 7.
As the Hammers will not qualify for Europe domestically, England would have eight teams in Europe next season.
So that means, the European qualification picture is as follows:
However, as one of Man City and Man Utd are going to win the FA Cup and finish in the top five their Europa League qualifying spot for winning the competition will be passed down to the next highest Premier League finisher who doesn't qualify for Europe, so sixth place.
Also, because Man Utd won the Carabao Cup and will finish in the top five, their Europa Conference League qualifying spot will go to the next highest Premier League finisher without European football, so seventh place.
It will not affect the Premier League representatives as City are going to finish in the top four regardless. A fifth Champions League spot is not filtered down via the league positions.
But a place in the group stage for the Champions League titleholders is left vacant. In this event, the champions of the country ranked 11th in the UEFA coefficient table at the end of the 2021/22 season - which is Serbia - would go direct to the Champions League group stage, rather than having to qualify.
However, with Russia ranked 10th and its clubs remaining excluded from European competition, the Serbian champions are already guaranteed a place in the group stage.
That means the champions of the 12th-ranked country - Ukraine - would be given a place in the group stage if City finally lift the Champions League trophy in Istanbul.
