Newcastle United could be just 90 minutes away from a return to European competition.

The odds may be against them in the Carabao Cup final but victory over the Reds would secure at least a Europa Conference League play-off ticket next summer. But only victory will be enough to secure that spot with runners-up no longer admitted to Europe despite the fact that Liverpool won't need a Europa Conference spot with the Anfield club closing in on the Premier League title.

Should Liverpool win the Carabao Cup and Premier League, or even qualify for the Champions League in one of the other potential spots, the Europa Conference place would go back to the Premier League. That was the case last season when Chelsea, who pipped Newcastle to sixth place, earned a place in the Europa Conference League.

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Back things really did go from bad to worse in the final few games of the campaign for Newcastle as they spluttered to a draw with Brighton at home before losing to Manchester United. That cost Newcastle sixth spot and even though a European place was still dangling by a thread after they beat Brentford on the final day to secure seventh place, Manchester United's surprise victory over Manchester City dented their hopes and they ended up empty handed.

Of course, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has much loftier ambitions than the Europa Conference League and while the head coach will be desperate to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley and beat Liverpool, there are other doors ajar to UEFA competitions too.

A top four or five place finish, depending on England's standings in the UEFA rankings this term, will land a Champions League spot. Fifth or sixth place could also land a Europa League spot next season.

Lifting the FA Cup would also land a spot in the Europa League next season for the Magpies. Newcastle returned to Europe for the first time since 2013 last season but missed out on a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League when finishing bottom of their group.

Next season will again see teams go into 36-team Swiss-style divisions which many observers feels has been set up by UEFA to fend off the threat of a breakaway European Super League.