Revealed: Here's how an eighth place finish in the Premier League could land Burnley a spot in Europe

It wasn't long ago - amid a run of seven losses in nine games in the Premier League - that the Clarets were dragged into conversations surrounding relegation.
The Clarets ahead of the Europa League play-off against OlympiacosThe Clarets ahead of the Europa League play-off against Olympiacos
The Clarets ahead of the Europa League play-off against Olympiacos

Defeats at the hands of Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Spurs, Everton, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea had left Burnley perilously close to the bottom three.

The setback at Stamford Bridge meant Sean Dyche's side were just three points ahead of 18th place Aston Villa with just West Ham United and Watford as the protective barrier in-between.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, the Clarets' revival over the last four fixtures, in tandem with Manchester City's two-year UEFA ban, has polished the rhetoric somewhat.

That's because Burnley are back in the picture for a potential return to Europe. There are still several permutations that certainly confuse the matter, with competition's and placings yet to be decided, but eighth place could be enough to seal qualification.

And here's how. A lot rides on the outcome of City's appeal to the court of arbitration for sport and whether the club's punishment is upheld.

If Pep Guardiola's side are banished from the Champions League next season then their spot in the competition would be opened up to the top flight's fifth place finishers, a position currently occupied by Spurs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Premier League is allocated three qualifying spots for the Europa League, which would, in normal circumstances, go to fifth spot and the winners of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

But City's ban means that Sheffield United, sat in sixth place in the division, own the key to unlock the door to the group stages as things stand.

City - the reigning FA Cup and League Cup holders - are also in contention to protect their titles in both competitions this season.

Beating Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium at the beginning of next month would likely ensure that Europa League qualification would then stretch down to seventh spot, as it did two campaigns ago when the Clarets nailed down their place in the pot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Should that be the case then the same would apply if City, or any other team in the top seven, won the FA Cup in the middle of May.

Premier League leaders Liverpool, already guaranteed a spot in next season's Champions League, City, Leicester City, Chelsea, Spurs, Sheffield United and Manchester United are still involved in the competition, which is now down to the last 16.

Taking the Premier League in its current form, and making the presumption that one of the above lands the silverware at the home of English football, then the door would open up for eighth place to become the nation's seventh continental entrant.

With just 13 games remaining Wolves are currently in pole position to claim that spot - though they're level on 36 points with Everton - while both Arsenal and Burnley are just two points off the pace.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The narrative would change again, however, should United, Arsenal or Wolves finish outside the top seven and win the Europa League.

But if everything fell into place, and if Dyche's men were to get their noses in front at the finishing line, it would bring European football back to Turf Moor for a second season in three.

It's approaching 18 months since the Clarets exited the Europa League with an aggregate defeat against Greek giants Olympiacos in the play-off.

The club side secured a return to European football for the first time in 51 years when finishing seventh in the Premier League in 2017/18, the club's best finish in the top flight since 1973/74.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With Chelsea, who finished fifth that term, crowned FA Cup winners when overcoming Manchester United at Wembley and Manchester City seeing off Arsenal in the League Cup's showpiece, Burnley were handed a place in the second qualifying round of the competition.

They beat Aberdeen over two legs in the "Battle of Britain" and then squeezed past Istanbul Basaksehir in the third qualifying round to set up a shoot-out for the group stages with the record-holding Super League side.

Ben Gibson was dismissed as Thrylos took a 3-1 lead to Turf Moor, a cushion they preserved with a 1-1 draw as Matej Vydra cancelled out Daniel Podence's opener late on.

Does another European tour beckon for the Clarets? Well, it isn't beyond the realms of possibility.