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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Jamie Kemble

How Manchester United could finish fourth and miss out on Champions League qualification

Manchester United are battling it out with Leicester City and Chelsea for a Champions League spot today.

United are at the King Power Stadium for a deciding battle in the race for a top four spot.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's men are in pole position as things stand, sitting third and knowing a win or a draw will get the job done - and they could even sneak in with a defeat if Chelsea are beaten by Wolves.

But could it all be for nothing? Well, probably not but there is a highly unlikely scenario that could see them finish fourth and not qualify for next season's Champions League.

For United to miss out on a Champions League spot despite finishing fourth, Wolves would have to win the Europa League and Chelsea would have to win the Champions League (we told you it was unlikely), while also finishing outside the top four (Leicester beating United and Wolves beating Chelsea would accomplish this).

That's because one of the prizes for the Champions League and Europa League winners is a spot in the following season's Champions League, and rules state there cannot be more than five teams from one league in the competition.

If this unlikely scenario were to play out, the Premier League's five spots would go to Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester, Chelsea and Wolves.

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