How 10 Premier League teams can qualify for Europe

Why give up a Europa League place? It’s all about applying the EPS after all other factors.

So in this example, Aston Villa they earned a place in the Champions League but finished in a league position that qualified them for the Europa League.

Uefa rules state that the berth in the lower competition must be forfeited and transferred to another league.

For example, La Liga had no team in the first edition of the Conference League, as Villarreal won a European competition and finished seventh.

Let’s say Villa finish fifth. The Premier League gives up the Europa League place.

Then you apply the EPS, which goes to sixth – the first team not in the Champions League.

The Conference League places drop to seventh.

If Villa finish sixth, then it is the Conference League place that is relinquished. After the EPS plays eighth in the Europa League.

But could winning the Europa League give England a ninth European place? Only if they finish outside the domestic European locations.

At the moment it would be outside the top six – or the top seven if, say, Manchester City win the FA Cup.

As Villa are nine points ahead of seventh Bournemouththere is only a slim possibility that this could happen.

For Forest it is a very simple situation as they sit 16th in the Premier League with 39 points.

Forest are out of the FA Cup so they cannot qualify domestically for Europe.

If Vitor Pereira guides Forest past Villa and to Europa League glory there will be a sixth English team in the Champions League, and at least nine in Europe.

It would reflect what happened to Tottenham Hotspur last season.