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England could have nine clubs competing in European football next season if a remarkable set of results occur at the end of the current campaign.
All three European club competitions could still be won by English sides this season.
Liverpool and Manchester City are safely through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they will come up against Villarreal and Real Madrid respectively.
West Ham have reached the last four of the Europa League, where they will face Eintracht Frankfurt, while Leicester will take on Roma in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.
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If English clubs win all three competitions, there could be as many as nine Premier League clubs in Europe next season.
ESPN editor Dale Johnson took to Twitter on Friday to explain how the unlikely scenario could come about.
He began: “With Leicester and West Ham in the semifinals of the UEL and UECL, and on the back of questions last night, a thread to explain how their performance affects the number of Premier League teams in Europe. The maximum number of Premier League teams in Europe next season is 9.
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“Common misconception is that the maximum is 7, but that’s not the case. Places for European titleholders are standalone if said titleholders don’t qualify domestically. However, it’s very, very rare for a European titleholder to finish outside the domestic places that season.
“If a European titleholder DOES qualify domestically, they play in the highest-ranked competition. So, if West Ham win UEL and finish in a UEL or UECL spot in the Premier League, they play in the UCL as the UEL titleholder. That PL place in the UEL or UECL is then vacant.
“For example, last season Sevilla [here Johnson means Villarreal] won the UEL, thus qualifying for the UCL as titleholders. Sevilla [Villarreal] also finished in the UECL place in LaLiga. Therefore, that place was left vacant, meaning LaLiga had no representative in the inaugural UECL.
“So, how will European qualification work in the Premier League this season? What we know with absolute certainty is the top 4 will play in the Champions League and 5th with be in the Europa League. What will happen to 6th and 7th depends on Crystal Palace.
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“If Crystal Palace win the FA Cup, they will be in the UEL and 6th in the Premier League will be in the UECL. If Crystal Palace don’t win the FA Cup, 6th in the Premier League will be in the UEL and 7th will be in the UECL.
“Nothing else can alter domestic qualifying positions. The performance of Leicester and West Ham cannot affect which competition another Premier League team has earned, either positively or negatively. It cannot create extra places, other than for themselves as titleholders.
“As Leicester are almost certain to finish outside the top 7 in the Premier League, if they win the UECL then England will have 8 teams in Europe next season. 4 in the UCL 3 in the UEL (Leicester, 5th, FA Cup) 1 in UECL (6th or 7th).
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“England will only have 9 teams in Europe if West Ham also win the UEL and finish 8th (or 7th/8th with Palace winning the FA Cup). So it could be: 5 in the UCL (West Ham, top 4) 3 in the UEL (Leicester, 5th, FA Cup) 1 in UECL (6th or 7th).”
To recap, England will have nine clubs in European competition next season if West Ham win the Europa League and finish outside the top six, Leicester win the Europa Conference League and finish outside the top seven, and Crystal Palace win the FA Cup.
Featured Image Credit: PA ImagesTopics: Premier League, Champions League, Europa Conference League, Europa League, Football, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, West Ham United, Manchester United, Arsenal
