UCL: Man Utd, Newcastle exits could see EPL lose fifth spot next season

The Premier League is in danger of missing out on one extra Champions League spot for next season.

This follows the early elimination of Manchester United and Newcastle United this campaign.

Both teams finished bottom of their groups and are out of Europe entirely.

From next season, the Champions League will be expanded to 36 teams, and two European leagues will be rewarded with extra places.

That means the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League this season could automatically qualify for the Champions League.

However, UEFA determines which two leagues will benefit from the additional places by its association coefficient rankings. This is based on the results of all European clubs in UEFA competitions.

In six of the last seven seasons, the Premier League would have gained an extra Champions League place due to their clubs’ performance in Europe.

However, with Manchester United and Newcastle outing this season, ESPN’s coefficient calculations put England in third place behind Germany and Italy.

UEFA COEFFICIENT POINTS AFTER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE
1. Germany: 13.36
2. Italy: 13.14
3. England: 12.13
4. Spain: 12.06
5. France: 10.42