A tweak in UEFA regulations might mean that MANCHESTER UNITED advances to the Champions League even if they finish sixth.

With seven games left, Erik ten Hag’s team is 11 points behind Aston Villa in fifth place, having lost their past three Premier League games.

As one of the two nations with the best UEFA co-efficient, England will join Italy in the Champions League as a result of a regulation modification that was made in advance of the competition’s expansion.

This implies that fifth place will automatically gain entry into Europe’s top competition, however Tottenham or Villa will probably gain rather than Manchester United.

Even if the Red Devils don’t place in the top five, there is still a remote possibility they will go to the Champions League.

Assuming West Ham secures both fifth place and the Europa League title.

Although they are currently 12 points behind Villa in the Premier League, David Moyes’ team will play Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the quarterfinals.

A Champions League slot would become available for an English club if West Ham wins the Europa League, since the extra spot is only awarded based on a team’s domestic league result.

The Champions League and Europa League winners are not taken into account.

In theory, this means that if both the English teams that win the Europa League and the Champions League are the ones that finish outside of the top four in the Premier League, then a seventh-place result in the league might earn them a spot in the Champions League.

This won’t be the case this year, since England’s two remaining Champions League representatives, Manchester City and Arsenal, are almost certain to finish in the top four.

But, depending on how West Ham finishes the season, sixth place might guarantee a spot in the Champions League.

Man Utd would need to pass Villa or Tottenham into sixth place in addition to West Ham finishing fifth and winning the Europa League in order to guarantee Champions League qualifying.

As the campaign enters its final stretch, all of this is still extremely unlikely but not implausible.

Up to eleven English teams might also make it to Europe, although this would need a big upheaval in the Premier League standings in addition to a Premier League team winning all three of the European competitions.