UEFA coefficient development deals Champions League blow to Tottenham, Aston Villa and Man Utd

The Premier League's aspirations of securing an additional Champions League spot have been dealt a significant blow, as the UEFA coefficient system comes into play.

From next season, a new Champions League format will be introduced, allowing four extra teams to participate in the competition. Two of these spots will be allocated to the countries with the highest UEFA coefficient ranking, which is determined by their clubs' performance in Europe this season.

Points are awarded for positive results and progression to the next stage of UEFA competitions within the coefficient system. A nation's average is calculated by dividing the total points by the number of their clubs competing in Europe; eight in England's case.

The largest bonus points are awarded in the earlier rounds of the Champions League and are scaled down in the other competitions, though all become equally important at this stage in the season.

Despite early Champions League exits from Manchester United and Newcastle, England were second in the coefficient rankings, ahead of Germany, going into the quarter-final stages. In the Premier League, United were hoping that England would secure an extra Champions League spot, given their slim chances of finishing fifth, currently 10 points behind Tottenham Hotspur with six games remaining.

However, both Arsenal and Manchester City suffered defeats in their respective quarter-finals on Wednesday, dealing a significant blow to England's chances of securing a fifth spot. Liverpool and West Ham are also teetering on the brink of elimination from the Europa League.

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