Will fifth place in Premier League qualify for Champions League? Where Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd stand

With just three matches left of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, Liverpool have one last push to qualify for Champions League football before their fate is sealed. Despite their inconsistent run of results, they still stand a chance of bagging themselves a place in Europe next season.

They do face heavy competition though, as Newcastle United and Manchester United currently occupy the third and fourth spots in the table.

This season’s Champions League is still ongoing, and Manchester City will be fancying their chances of going on to lift the trophy. Which is why many people have been asking the question: will this season’s domestic fifth place qualify for the Champions League?

Can Liverpool qualify for Champions League football in fifth place?

With Man City into this season’s Champions League semi-final, many are wondering what will happen if they go on to win the tournament. Would their automatic qualification for next season mean an extra spot is added to the Premier League? Would fifth-placed Liverpool sneak through?

The short answer is no. Liverpool will need to fight their way into position four if they want a run in the Champions League next season. The reason for this is because the ‘fifth place rule’ only rarely comes into play.

If both European tournaments — the Champions League and the Europa League — are won by English sides who do not finish in the top four domestically, only the top three Premier League teams will qualify. Fourth place, despite technically being in the Champions League zone, will instead head to the Europa League.

Due to the fact Man City cannot mathematically finish outside of the Premier League top four now, their spot as European qualifiers will not be passed down, even if they do lift this season’s trophy.

So in a nutshell, the elusive fifth Champions League spot is not eligible this season, and Liverpool must finish fourth if they want to qualify.

How can Liverpool finish in the top four?

The maximum amount of points the Reds can end with is 71, which could be enough to elbow their way into the top four, but they have a big fight on their hands. Not only do they need to win all of their remaining games, but they are relying on the two teams above them to drop points.

We’ve put together a guide on what Liverpool, Newcastle, Man United, Spurs, and Brighton all need in their fight for a spot in Europe next season. Take a look here.