Sunderland’s unlikely route to Europe explained, why even 11th could be enough | OneFootball

Sunderland could still make Europe this season, but the permutations are complex. According to Sunderland Echo, UEFA allocations and cup results could push places further down the Premier League.

England is set to have five Champions League spots. As it stands, the top five would reach the Champions League, sixth the Europa League and seventh the Conference League, with Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win likely to pass that berth down if they qualify via the league.

The FA Cup is pivotal. If City or Chelsea win it and finish in the top six, the Europa League place would pass into the league. If Leeds United or Southampton, outside the European spots, win it, that pathway closes.

European trophies could also reshape things. If Aston Villa, fourth, won the Europa League but slipped outside the top five, they would still reach the Champions League, a caveat that also applies to Liverpool, who face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Taken together, a realistic scenario has the top seven or eight qualifying for Europe. That brings Sunderland into the picture, with just seven points separating fifth from 13th.

Rarer alignments could extend it to ninth or 10th. The most extreme case needs Liverpool and Aston Villa to win in Europe while finishing outside the top five, plus Crystal Palace to win the Conference League and end outside the top six, creating 11 English entrants, seven in the Champions League, three in the Europa League and one in the Conference League.

Source: Sunderland Echo