By beating Liverpool 2-1 in the EFL Cup final on Sunday Newcastle United has not only claimed their first trophy since 1969 but has also secured a spot in the Europa Conference League. Considering their position in the Premier League standings, the team from St James’ Park has an opportunity to qualify directly for either the Europa League or the more prestigious Champions League. Depending on how the UEFA coefficients play out, the English top flight might send five clubs to the Champions League rather than just four; however, should it remain at four, Newcastle currently sits one point behind fifth place, which would grant them direct entry into the Europa League’s group phase.
Should Newcastle finish in the spot for either the UEFA Champions League or the Europa League, this could alter the qualification path for teams lower in the standings because Liverpool has secured their place in next season’s Europa League and is nearing qualification for the Champions League as well. Should the victor of the EFL Cup secure one of the top-five positions, then the conference league playoff slot designated for them would be handed over to the nearest eligible side below them who hasn’t yet guaranteed entry into a UEFA tournament through their league standing.
Which competitors enter each contest?
- Champions League: The top four teams in the Premier League will advance directly to the UEFA Champions League group stage. If a club finishes fifth but performs well in European competitions, they might still secure a spot in the tournament.
- Europa League: The champions of the FA Cup and the fifth-place team in the Premier League (or sixth place if only five teams qualify for the Champions League) secure their spots in the group stage of the Europa League. Similar to how theConference League berth moves, should the FA Cup victors have already earned a European qualification through their league performance, then this opportunity would shift downward to be taken up by the following highest-ranked eligible club as with the Conference League position.
- Europa Conferece League: The winners of the EFL Cup advance to the playoff round.
Current Premier League table
| Pos | Team | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 29 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 69 | 27 | +42 | 70 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 29 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 53 | 24 | +29 | 58 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 29 | 16 | 6 | 7 | 49 | 35 | +14 | 54 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 29 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 37 | +16 | 49 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 29 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 55 | 40 | +15 | 48 |
| 6 | Newcastle United | 28 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 47 |
| 7 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 29 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 48 | 42 | +6 | 47 |
| 8 | Fulham | 29 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 43 | 38 | +5 | 45 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 29 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 45 |
| 10 | Bournemouth | 29 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 44 |
| 11 | Brentford | 29 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 41 |
Based on how things unfold, a squad ending up in 11th position might still secure a spot in European tournaments next year. Newcastle has already secured a place in the Conference League and may find themselves competing in additional continental competitions. Given that Aston Villa, Brighton, Fulham, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, and Bournemouth all have chances of winning the FA Cup, along with vying for spots in both the Champions League and Europa League, many outcomes remain unresolved.
Manchester United and Tottenham retain an opportunity to secure a spot within the top 10, whereas lifting the Europa League trophy would guarantee them a position in the Champions League for the upcoming season. Aston Villa likewise has aspirations of claiming the Champions League title. Should these scenarios unfold alongside Chelsea clinching victory in the Europa Conference League and securing eighth place overall, then depending on various factors, occupying one of the Conference League spots might extend down to teams ranked eleventh, presently held by Brentford.
A significant amount would be required for this to occur, yet it remains within the realm of possibility. This season, with Newcastle breaking their long trophy drought and Nottingham Forest heading towards qualification for the UEFA Champions League, unexpected events could certainly unfold.
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