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From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more.Signup +Once a week...And its LIVE!Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off!Signup +Join the clubGet full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in.Subscribe to our newsletterThe race for Champions League qualification is heating up in the Premier League, with just five points separating five teams from a fifth-placed finish.Arsenals 1-0 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Tuesday confirmed that the Premier Leagues Top 5 teams will secure playing at the highest level of European football next season.UEFA awards an additional place to the two leagues that produce the best overall performances across its three European competitions. You may like What Premier League's disastrous week in Europe means for fifth Champions League place Everton may be banned from Europa League next season due to UEFA ownership rules: report Arsenal could have just been handed big advantage in title race How NINE teams in the Premier League could qualify for Europe next seasonNewcastle United benefited from this last season, gaining qualification to the Champions League after a fifth-placed Premier League finish with 66 points.The Magpies narrowly pipped Aston Villa on goal difference, and Nottingham Forest by a point but Vitor Pereiras side can write their own Champions League qualification story this season and help to ensure that a whopping nine Premier League teams secure European football.Last season, Tottenham Hotspur ended their 17-year trophy drought with a 1-0 Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, courtesy of a scrappy Brennan Johnson first-half finish.Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League, much further clear of the drop zone than they are currently, but secured Champions League football with that trophy win.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.If Nottingham Forest were to do the same and win the Europa League while finishing in the depths of the table, that would mean six English teams will compete in the Champions League next season.To gain another European spot, one of Manchester City or Chelsea would have to win the FA Cup while maintaining their place in the Premier League tables Top 6 positions - winners of footballs oldest Cup competition gain qualification to the Europa League and, in this scenario, that qualification would then pass down to seventh-placed.Manchester City, currently placed second in the Premier League table, is a near-certain bet for a Top 5 finish, meaning the Conference League spot they gained by winning the Carabao Cup will pass down to eighth-place.Therefore, the teams positioned first through eighth in the Premier League table would secure varying levels of European football, meaning Forest would have to win the Europa League and finish ninth or lower to ensure the final place.To make this a reality, Chelsea will face Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final at the end of April, with Manchester City facing Southampton, as both teams edge closer to the trophy.Before those games, Nottingham Forest must first stay in the Europa League, as Pereiras men return to European action against Porto on Thursday in the tournaments quarter-finals.TOPICSManchester CityArsenalLiverpoolManchester UnitedEvertonBrentfordAston VillaFulhamNottingham ForestBrightonSunderlandNewcastle UnitedBournemouth FCChelseaChampions LeaguePremier LeagueFA CupCarabao CupUEFA Europa LeagueKedar BayleySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterKedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC,he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television,you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.
