The nightmare scenario that could deny Arsenal, Chelsea or Spurs a 2019-2020 Champions League spot

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham are all involved with a gripping battle for a top-four spot but even that may not be enough for Champions League football next season. UEFA’s regulations permit a maximum of five clubs from a single country competing in the Champions League in a single season, with the Premier League’s top-four finishers usually taking those spots. However, changes in recent years also mean that the winners of the Champions League and Europa League will also qualify for the competition regardless of the position in their domestic table. If Manchester City and Liverpool both finish in the top four, as expected, this nightmare scenario would be possible for Tottenham if they were to finish fourth and Manchester United manage to overturn their two-goal first leg deficit against Paris Saint-Germain and then go on to win the Champions League. This does, however, seem an unlikely scenario as things stand, with Spurs currently in third place in the Premier League and Manchester United facing an exit from the Champions League after their first-leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. But if Manchester United or Tottenham were to win the Champions League this season, while finishing outside of the top four, it could have a knock-on effect for Arsenal or Chelsea.

BREAKING: Lucas Torreira’s three-match ban upheld