The race to seal the final qualification places for the Champions League and Europa League will be decided today, as we reach the final day of the Premier League season.
The decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn the two-season ban handed out to Manchester City by Uefa has left their rivals scrambling, knowing that a fifth-place finish will no longer be good enough to secure Champions League football.
City will finish second this season, so they along with champions Liverpool have guaranteed their place in next season’s Champions League.
But who else can qualify, and which teams will be fighting for the Europa League places?
Champions League qualification race
It's a three-way fight between Chelsea, Leicester City and Manchester United, with Chelsea needing just one more point to secure their place, but they face a tricky fixture against Europa League-chasing Wolves after going down 5-3 at Liverpool.
Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester turned in a meek display at Tottenham to go down 3-0 and drop out of the top four for the first time since September. They had looked dead certs just a few months ago, but now are the most at-risk club.
While United climbed a point above Leicester with a 1-1 home draw against West Ham, that result means the final day trip to Leicester could be a shoot-out for fourth, providing Chelsea earn the point required to finish their job.
Chelsea, Leicester and Manchester United are guaranteed to secure Europa League football at the very least.
Wolves, Tottenham and Sheffield United are mathematically out of contention for a Champions League spot as far as the Premier League is concerned, though the Midlands side can still qualify by winning the Europa League - a route also available to Manchester United.
But we could yet face the situation where only the top three qualify. Should two English sides win this season's Champions League and Europa, and finish outside the top four, they will qualify instead.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Liverpool (c) | 37 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 96 |
| 2 | Man City | 37 | 25 | 3 | 9 | 62 | 78 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 37 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 28 | 63 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 37 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 63 |
| 5 | Leicester City | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 28 | 62 |
| 6 | Wolves | 37 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 59 |
| 7 | Tottenham | 37 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 58 |
Europa League qualification race
Arsenal's defeat at Aston Villa means they can only finish eighth at best. They can still book their place in the Europa League by winning the FA Cup, they reached the Final with a shock victory over Manchester City last weekend.
They are not the only side who can benefit from the FA Cup though. Should the eventual winners finish inside the top six, then seventh place will qualify for the Europa League. Chelsea, the other finalists, are certain of a top-six finish. Even more reason for Spurs to cheer on the Blues are Wembley.
Wolves moved into sixth after beating Crystal Palace on Monday night, leap-frogging Spurs. Victory over Chelsea in their final game will secure sixth place and Europa League qualification.
Tottenham have won three on the bounce to remain in contention for a top-six finish, but they will need to beat Crystal Palace on the final day and hope that Wolves drop points against Frank Lampard's side to achieve it. Spurs are guaranteed to finish seventh at least, which would claim a Europa League place providing Chelsea wins the FA Cup.
Sheffield United's European hopes are over for another season - the combination of their defeat at home to Everton and Wolves' win over Palace on Monday mean they are out of the running. Burnley are also out of the running.
At least one of Chelsea, Leicester or Manchester United will be in the Europa League, of course.
| 3 | Man Utd | 37 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 28 | 63 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 37 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 63 |
| 5 | Leicester City | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 28 | 62 |
| 6 | Wolves | 37 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 59 |
| 7 | Tottenham | 37 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 58 |
| 8 | Sheffield Utd | 37 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 54 |
| 9 | Burnley | 37 | 15 | 9 | 13 | -6 | 54 |
| 10 | Arsenal | 37 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 53 |
And here’s where it gets (more) complicated…
If Chelsea overturn their 3-0 first leg deficit to Bayern Munich and go on to win the Champions League, and finish outside the top four, then five English sides will compete in Europe’s premier competition, with sixth and seventh entering the Europa League.
With City having already qualified, winning the completion won’t impact the Premier League.
But what about the Europa League? Should Manchester United or Wolves win the Europa League but finish inside the top four then only four sides will compete in the Champions League. But should they finish outside the top four, five teams will enter.
And should Chelsea win the Champions League AND Manchester United or Wolves win the Europa League - and neither finish in the top four - then only the top three will qualify for the Champions League.
To complicate things even further, Uefa regulations suggest the Premier League could have eight teams in Europe if that happened and one of them did not finish in the top six or seven - or nine if they both fail to.
There you have it, simple really...
