Both Liverpool and Arsenal could miss out on Champions League Football next season even if they managed to clinch a top-four spot in the Premier League. The top four sides in England generally go on to compete in the competition the following season, however, both clubs could be deprived should both Manchester United or Leicester find success in Europe this season.
Leicester and Man Utd success could cost Liverpool and Arsenal
With Chelsea in pole position to bring back another Premier League trophy to Stamford Bridge and with both second placed Tottenham and third placed Manchester City having the advantage of a game in hand, Liverpool and Arsenal look set to do battle for the all-important fourth Champions League spot.
However, even that may not be enough to guarantee them Champions League football for the following campaign should both Leicester win this season's competition and Man Utd win the Europa League. In which case, both Leicester and Man Utd would be guaranteed Champions League qualification, leaving less places for the other Premier League clubs.
Each league represented in the competition can only have a maximum of five clubs per season, so should both Leicester and Man Utd win trophies in Europe, only the top three sides would be eligible to qualify, leaving the fourth-placed side competing in the Europa League instead. The financial incentives for competing in the Champions League are massive for clubs and although the chances of both Leicester and Man Utd finding glory in Europe this season are unlikely, it is not unimaginable.
Leicester to create another miracle?
Last year's surprise Premier League champions Leicester have had a poor domestic campaign this season, however, following the controversial sacking of Claudio Ranieri the Foxes seem to have had a reprisal in form of late, winning three matches in a row, which included difficult games against high-flying Liverpool and last season's Europa League winners Sevilla, the Foxes now find themselves just four games from the Champions League final. Whilst, after seeing off Russian side Rostov on Thursday, Man Utd have one of the strongest squads left in the competition and are now one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
