Chelsea and Tottenham Europa League and Conference League reality explained amid Man Utd battle

Both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea will head into the final weekend of the Premier League season with Europa League qualification on the line.

Spurs had hoped to secure an immediate return to the Champions League after a strong start to the season under new manager Ange Postecoglou, but their hopes of doing so were dashed on Tuesday night as a 2-0 home defeat to Manchester City assured it would be mathematically impossible to better Aston Villa's points tally.

However, Postecoglou's men can still secure a return to Europe for next season when they take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon. If Spurs do not lose, they will qualify for the Europa League group proper regardless of how Newcastle United fare in their two remaining games against Manchester United and Brentford.

However, if Spurs are to lose to the already-relegated Blades then Newcastle could pip them to a fifth-place finish due to their superior goal difference, if they can defeat United and Brentford

For Chelsea, meanwhile, they are also in control of their own European fate after an upturn of results at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.

It means heading into the final week of the season, Mauricio Pochettino's side are still within a shot of qualifying for both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League.

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However, qualification to the Europa League, which Chelsea won in 2013 and 2019, can only be achieved if Tottenham lose and the Blues can better Newcastle's return of points in the final two games of the season.

But if Chelsea are to finish seventh, they would only qualify for the Europa Conference League if Manchester United lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City later this month.

As United are on course for an eighth-place finish, if Erik ten Hag's side were to beat their bitter rivals in the cup final they would qualify for the Europa League proper and as a result, Newcastle United would be admitted as the Premier League's only Conference League entry. Therefore leaving Chelsea without European qualification for a second consecutive season.