For those wondering: English teams could qualify for Europe next season as far down in the table as 8th.
Places 1-4 reach the Champions League as you all know. A Europa League winner also qualifies, which could be a 5th-placed Man United. The Europa League qualifying spots for next season are 5th, the FA Cup winner and the League Cup winner.
But that would mean Man United's Europa spot is vacated, and if Arsenal finish top 4, the FA Cup winner spot would be vacated. As stated in the rules below, both of those slots are taken by highest position in the league (not already qualified). So it would be 6th, 7th and 8th in the Premier League getting the three spots. If United doesn't win the Europa League it would only be two out of 5th, 6th and 7th (depending on where League Cup winners United finish in the league)..
"A Europa League place is vacated when a team qualifies for both the Champions League and the Europa League, or qualifies for the Europa League by more than one method. When a place is vacated, it is redistributed within the national association by the following rules (regulations Articles 3.03 and 3.04):[3]
When the domestic cup winners (considered as the "highest-placed" qualifier within the national association with the latest starting round) also qualify for the Champions League, their Europa League place is vacated. As a result, the highest-placed team in the league which have not yet qualified for European competitions qualify for the Europa League, with the Europa League qualifiers which finish above them in the league moved up one "place".
When the domestic cup winners also qualify for the Europa League through league position, their place through the league position is vacated. As a result, the highest-placed team in the league which have not yet qualified for European competitions qualify for the Europa League, with the Europa League qualifiers which finish above them in the league moved up one "place" if possible.
For associations where a Europa League place is reserved for the League Cup winners, they always qualify for the Europa League as the "lowest-placed" qualifier. If the League Cup winners have already qualified for European competitions through other methods, this reserved Europa League place is taken by the highest-placed team in the league which have not yet qualified for European competitions."
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