Premier League returns: Brighton, Aston Villa and West Ham lead chase for additional Champions League spot

Two Champions League spots will to go associations with best collective performance by clubs in previous season from 2024/25 season; it means team finishing fifth in Premier League is likely to earn Champions League place; Aston Villa, Brighton, West Ham among early front-runners

@Ben_Islington

Thursday 19 October 2023 07:30, UK

The race to climb into the Champions League spots has never felt so wide-open.

The days of the Premier League's so-called Big Four — Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool — are long gone.

And, with the top flight returning this weekend from the October international break, those sides perched just outside the top four know finishing in fifth has an added layer of importance.

UEFA has approved the final format and access list for European club competitions from next season onwards — and two Champions League spots will to go associations with the best collective performance by their clubs in the previous campaign.

UEFA changed the criteria to qualify for Europe's premier club competition, removing access based on club co-efficient. The number of matches in the new opening league stage will also be reduced from 10 to eight per team.

If the rule were applied last season, England and Italy would get an extra spot, meaning the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League would qualify apart from the top four teams.

With the number of teams increasing from 32 to 36, UEFA said one place will go to the «club ranked third in the championship of the association in fifth position in the UEFA national association ranking.»

The Premier League has eight clubs in Europe this season after West Ham won the Europa Conference League. As they failed to qualify domestically, it means every win by an