How 11 Premier League teams could qualify for Europe
If Liverpool win the Champions League and finish in the top four, then nothing changes in terms of England's European spots. There will still be five teams in the Champions League, and eight in Europe. The place reserved for the Champions League titleholders will pass to the league champions in qualifying with the best Uefa coefficient.
That is likely to be Rangers if they win the Scottish Premiership. If Liverpool finish outside the top four, the Premier League will have six teams in the Champions League: Liverpool 's precise final position will decide the Premier League's total European allocation. If Liverpool finish fifth, where they are now, the EPS passes to the Premier League's sixth-placed team.
The Premier League would then surrender a place in the Europa League. Overall, England would still have eight European places. Why is a Europa League place given up?
This is all about applying the EPS after all other factors. So in this example, Liverpool have won the Champions League but finished in a league position that qualifies them for the Europa League. Uefa rules state that the berth in the lower competition has to be forfeited and passed to another league.
For instance, La Liga had no team in the first edition of the Conference League because Villarreal won a European competition and finished in seventh. Then, after the place has been given up, you apply the EPS. But could Liverpool winning the Champions League give England a ninth European spot?