Tottenham could be stripped Champions League spot by Man Utd and Chelsea even if they finish fourth
Despite uncertainty surrounding the future of Antonio Conte at Tottenham, the team is still in a favorable position to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League. Despite missing an opportunity to surpass Manchester United and claim third place before the international break, Spurs remain in fourth place following a 3-3 draw against Southampton.
However, Tottenham faces a challenge in their remaining 10 matches as their competitors all have games in hand to play.
Manchester United, in third place, has two more games to play than Spurs, as do Newcastle United and Liverpool. Even Brighton & Hove Albion, in seventh place and trailing Tottenham by seven points, have played three fewer games than the north London club.
The race for the top four promises to be an exciting one, with many twists and turns expected in the coming weeks. While Tottenham can only focus on their own performances and hope that their efforts in the final 10 games are enough to secure a spot in the top four, there is no guarantee that their rivals will capitalize on their games in hand and leave Spurs lagging behind.
If Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils make it all the way in the FA Cup and Europa League, they will have a packed schedule of 19 games which could lead to some setbacks in the league.
Newcastle and Liverpool’s recent form has been inconsistent, so it’s uncertain if they will go on a winning streak to surpass Spurs. Even if Tottenham finishes fourth in the final Premier League table, they could miss out on Champions League football in the 2023/24 season due to UEFA’s regulation that limits the number of English clubs competing in the top European competition to five.
Arsenal and Man City seem likely to secure Champions League spots next season as they are currently leading the Premier League, leaving the final two spots up for grabs. However, there is a possibility that Tottenham could miss out on the competition if they finish fourth and Manchester United fall out of the top four, and English clubs win both the Champions League and Europa League.
If Manchester United fail to secure a Champions League spot through the top four but win the Europa League in Budapest in May, they would qualify for the competition, resulting in England having five places in total.
Tottenham’s position would only be at risk if Chelsea wins the Champions League and secures a spot in the competition for the second time in three years, provided that Tottenham finishes fourth.
If the scenario unfolds as described, the team finishing fourth in the Premier League would not qualify for the Champions League but instead drop down to the Europa League.
Although anything can happen in football, this seems like an unlikely outcome. Chelsea has had a disappointing season so far under Graham Potter, and they need to overcome Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and either Man City or Bayern Munich in the semis to reach the final in Istanbul.
For Tottenham, the best course of action is to secure a top-four position and hope that neither Manchester United nor Chelsea eliminate them from the Champions League spots after the end of the season.
Tottenham could be stripped Champions League spot by Man Utd and Chelsea even if they finish fourth
