Newcastle United is in the top four, but last season’s heroics may not be required to return to the Champions League next season.
Newcastle United are currently seventh in the Premier League, and a forthcoming alteration to Champions League qualification could be crucial for Eddie Howe’s team. The Magpies have been in spectacular form recently, going unbeaten in seven games across all competitions, but a slow and difficult start to the season against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Brighton has left them trailing last year’s fourth-place finish.
With Champions League dates to contend with, Newcastle United may have their work cut out for them if they want to return to the top four, which is undoubtedly their goal. It is therefore poignant to underline future changes to Champions League qualification, with the Premier League set to be given the opportunity to send an additional club to the group stage next season. That will all be determined by the leagues with the highest ‘coefficient’ across the continent.
Football fans will be aware with that word due to how the competition’s group stage pots are calculated, and if the Premier League is ranked among the top two leagues in Europe, an extra slot will be provided. This would then be awarded to the Premier League side that finishes fifth.
That isn’t certain, but only once in the last seven seasons has the Premier League not been ranked among the top two European leagues. That was in 2019/20, when La Liga and the Bundesliga shared the title. Here’s how it’s played out recently.
2016-17: Bundesliga and Premier League
2017-18: Premier League and La Liga
2018-19: Premier League and La Liga
2019-20: La Liga and Bundesliga
2020-21: Premier League and La Liga
2021-22: Premier League and Eredivisie
2022-23: Premier League and Serie A
The Premier League faces a minor challenge in its quest to secure a prominent position within the top two leagues of the Champions League this season. This challenge arises from the fact that the top tier of English football has a total of eight clubs competing in European competitions this year. This situation came about after West Ham triumphed in the Europa Conference League, despite not earning a domestic European qualification.
This surplus of teams in European tournaments slightly diminishes the value of each club’s victories in terms of the coefficient score. This is because the coefficient score is calculated as an average of eight clubs rather than the usual seven. It’s worth noting that the last time the Premier League had eight teams in European competitions was in the 2015/16 season, and it only managed to secure a third-place ranking in the coefficient standings. However, it’s important to highlight that in that particular year, Southampton and West Ham did not progress beyond the qualifying rounds. In contrast, this season, all the Premier League sides have advanced to the group stages of their respective competitions.
The Premier League’s final standing in the coefficient ranking will likely be determined as the results of the matches unfold, and the outcome may remain uncertain until the last minute. Several top-flight clubs, including Newcastle United, Brighton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Manchester United, and Chelsea, appear to be in contention for European spots. These clubs will be closely monitoring the developments, as their fate in European competitions remains up in the air.
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