Sixth place Europa League now up for grabs

The Capital One victory by Manchester City over Liverpool this evening means an additional Europa League place will be available to whoever finishes  in sixth position in the Premier League this season.

The clubs who finish in the top four positions in the 2015/16  Premier League will qualify to compete in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League. Positions 1-3 will enter the UEFA Champions League group stage with  position 4 entering the UEFA Champions League play-off stage (winners progress to group stage; losers to UEFA Europa League play-off)

There are also three UEFA Europa League places given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria: winning the FA Cup, winning the Capital One Cup and finishing fifth in the Premier League.

If the FA Cup winners finish in the top five of the Barclays Premier League, their UEFA Europa League group stage place goes to the sixth-placed team. With the Capital One Cup won by Manchester City by penalties this evening, assuming they finish in the top five, their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round place goes to the next-highest ranked team in the Premier League, the sixth-placed team.

In the event of the FA Cup winners’ spot going to the sixth-placed team, the Capital One Cup winners’ place in the UEFA Europa League goes to the team finishing seventh.

West Ham currently sit in sixth position after 27 games with 43 points.