The race for Europe: which English clubs can qualify, how, and who needs what

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Which breaks down as follows: four Champions League places awarded by league position, plus a fifth guaranteed as a result of English success in Europe this season (this is known as a European performance spot or EPS); two spaces in the Europa League, one awarded by league position, the other (in principle) to the winners of the FA Cup; and a final space in qualifying for the Conference League, awarded (in principle) to the winners of the Carabao Cup.So if the Premier League finished today, who would qualify and where?Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Liverpool would make the Champions League, by league position. The final place, that second Europa League spot tied to the FA Cup, will be decided in due course, but if City win it the place would pass down the league meaning both sixth and seventh qualify for the Europa League and eighth would be in the Conference League, which currently means Chelsea, who would surely relish the chance to reclaim the trophy they won last season.

Uefa grants the winners of the Europa League a place in the Champions League, a place that could go to Villa or Nottingham Forest. If Aston Villa win the Europa League but finish in the top four of the Premier League, there is no extra Champions League place according to Uefa rules.

But because of the way Uefa awards its EPS slots, if Villa win, and finish fifth or below, there is a sixth Champions League spot up for grabs and it is passed down the Premier League table. There is also one very weird possibility, under which Brentford could reach the Champions League, but only by dint of losing on the final day.Let’s say Villa win the Europa League in the midweek before.