How Tottenham can secure Europa League spot before the final day after Champions League blow

There will be no Champions League football at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second successive season following Tottenham's 2-0 defeat against Man City on Tuesday evening. A crucial game in terms of the Premier League title and top-four race, Pep Guardiola's side triumphed courtesy of Erling Haaland's second-half double.

The result means that Spurs can no longer finish in the top four as they are five points adrift of Aston Villa with one game left to play. Despite the setback in regards to Champions League qualification, Tottenham do look increasingly likely to be taking part in the Europa League during the 2024/25 campaign.

The Lilywhites are very much in the driving seat to seal a position in UEFA's second club competition and they will ensure their place in the Europa League as long as they avoid defeat at Sheffield United on the final day. However, Spurs could potentially be in a position where Europa League qualification is already in the bag before Sunday's 4pm kick-off in South Yorkshire.

The reason for that is because their nearest European rivals, Newcastle United and Chelsea, are in action on Wednesday evening. Both teams have a game in hand to play and they come against Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.

As things stand in the Premier League table ahead of Wednesday evening's games, Newcastle are in sixth and Chelsea seventh with both teams on 57 points from 36 games. The Magpies' goal difference of +22 is ten better than Chelsea, with both sides ahead of Spurs as their goal difference is now +10 following the Man City defeat.

In order to be in with a shout of a fifth-place finish come the final day of the season, Newcastle United have to record maximum points away at Manchester United and the same goes for Chelsea at Brighton. If both of the sides fail to record a victory in this evening's games then Tottenham's place in next season's Europa League will be confirmed.

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If either one of Newcastle United and Chelsea win or they both are victorious, the race for a Europa League finish will go down to the final day of the campaign. However, Tottenham will be the red-hot favourites for fifth as they take on a Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane who have only won three games all season and conceded 101 goals in the process.

Newcastle's final match of the term comes away at Brentford, with Chelsea facing Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. There is a scenario where a second Europa League position becomes available via the Premier League table, though, but it will all depend on who lifts this season's FA Cup.

As Man City are already assured of a top-four finish and Champions League football that comes with it, an FA Cup victory for Guardiola's team at Wembley would see the Europa League prize for winning the famous trophy passed down the league table. Whoever finishes sixth would qualify for the Europa League and the team who comes seventh would go into next season's Europa Conference League.

However, Manchester United could still have a big say in regards to the extra Europa League spot as they look to get one over rivals Man City for last season's defeat in the FA Cup final. If the Red Devils do win the FA Cup for the first time since 2016, they will play in next season's Europa League.

Even if they lose at Wembley, Erik ten Hag's men could still qualify for the Europa League if they finish sixth in the Premier League table as Man City's prize for winning the FA Cup would be passed down the league standings. Regardless of whether it goes down to the final day or not, Tottenham look to be in a very good position to be playing Europa League football from September onwards.

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