Brighton in CL? Why Villa's lost at Fulham opens the door....
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This is how: Could the Premier League really have six teams in the Champions League? You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Datawrapper cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
However, were Unai Emery's side to triumph in Istanbul on May 20 but finish outside the top four, then the Premier League would get six teams in next season's Champions League, although Villa's final position in the table would then determine who took the extra place.For example, were Villa to finish in fifth, then the sixth-placed team would be in Europe's premier club competition, although the Premier League would then give up a place in next season's Europa League.However, in total, England would still have eight European spots next season: six via the Champions League and one each in the Europa League [the FA Cup winners] and the Conference League [finishing in seventh].Things are a lot less complicated, though, if Forest cause an upset by winning Europe's second-tier competition as they would simply be the Premier League's sixth Champions League representative next season, as happened with Tottenham Hotspur in the last campaign.How can the Premier League have nine teams in Europe next season?Remember the side that wins the Conference League goes straight into next season's Europa League. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Datawrapper cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
Crystal Palace - who face Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals - are favourites to lift that trophy in Leipzig on May 27 and with Oliver Glasner's side 13th in the table and unlikely to qualify for Europe via their league position, they would compete in next season's Europa League.As a result, that would mean nine Premier League teams in Europe next season: five via the Champions League and three in the Europa League [FA Cup & Conference League winners and team finishing sixth] and one in the Conference League [team finishing seventh].So how can England have 10 teams in Europe?That scenario would need Palace to win the Europa Conference League, Forest or Villa to win the Europa League - and if it is Villa, they would need to finish outside of the top six in the Premier League as well. In that event, the Premier League would have six sides in the Champions League [the top five and the Europa League winners], three in the Europa League [team finishing sixth, the FA Cup & Conference League winners] and one in the Conference League [team finishing seventh].Does the identity of the FA Cup winners affect things?Yes, although not the number of teams taking part in Europe, just who competes in what competition.For example, were Manchester City to win an eighth FA Cup at Wembley on May 16, sixth and seventh places in the Premier League will qualify for the Europa League, with eighth going into the Conference League.However, if Chelsea win the cup, the west London club would need to finish inside the top seven for the Conference League spot to transfer to eighth.Were Southampton or Leeds to cause an upset, though, they would take part in next season's Europa League.