So, there are still quite a few things to sort out heading into the final stages of the 2018-19 season.
Due to both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League finals being all-Premier League affairs, there is still a lot to play for in terms of European qualification for next season.
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Add in crazy goal difference scenarios on the final day and other permutations thrown up by the FA Cup winners and it can all get a little confusing. The key things to remember are:
- Maximum of five Premier League teams can compete in the Champions League
- Maximum of seven Premier League teams can compete in European competition at the same time
Below we break down which PL teams have qualified for European competition next season, and what has to happen for certain teams to make it.
Man City: Qualified for the Champions League group stage through league position
Liverpool: Qualified for the Champions League group stage through league position
Chelsea: Qualified for the Champions League group stage through league position
Tottenham: Will qualify for Champions League group stage with a draw against Everton on the final day. If they lose and Arsenal beat Burnley, while making up an eight-goal deficit, Spurs will finish fifth and Arsenal in fourth. If Spurs do finish fifth, they will also qualify for the Champions League group stage if they beat Liverpool in the Champions League final. If they finish fifth and do not win the Champions League, they will reach the Europa League group stage.
Arsenal: If they finish in fifth they will qualify automatically for the Europa League group stage next season, but if they beat Chelsea in the Europa League final they will qualify for the Champions League group stage. If they finish fifth and lose the Europa League final to Chelsea, they will not get the Champions League group stage place next season, even tough Chelsea do not need it.
Man United: Due to Man City winning the League Cup, Man United will qualify automatically for the Europa League group stage if they finish the season in sixth place. But if Watford beat Man City in the FA Cup final, a sixth-place finish will mean a place in the Europa League second-qualifying round. That scenario would not be ideal as United have a preseason game in China against Tottenham on the same day the Europa League qualifiers kick off. If United win on the final day and Arsenal fail to beat Burnley they will finish in fifth and qualify for the Europa League group stage. If Arsenal win the Europa League final and finish outside of the top four, then Man United will go into the Europa League group stage.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Will reach for the Europa League second-qualifying round if Man City beat Watford in the FA Cup final. Will also reach the Europa League second-qualifying round if Watford lose in the FA Cup final and Arsenal win the Europa League and finish outside of the top four.
Watford: Will qualify for the Europa League group stage if they beat Man City in the FA Cup final.
Other big winners: So, with Liverpool and Tottenham both set to qualify for the Champions League via their league position, they don’t need the Champions League spot given to the winners. What happens to that spot? Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg will get automatic qualification to the Champions League group stage, as Austria is the highest ranked UEFA nation (11th) which doesn’t have an automatic qualifier for the Champions League.
Equally, if Chelsea beat Arsenal in the Europa League final, they don’t need the Champions League spot given to the winners of that competition. If Chelsea win the Europa League, the Champions League group stage spot will be given to the team which finishes third in France, which is the fifth-ranked league in Europe and only the top two teams qualify automatically for the Champions League group stage from Ligue 1.