Newcastle could reach champions league finishing 5th in 2024 after rule change

NEWCASTLE UNITED ARE FACING A FIGHT TO HOLD ON TO THEIR CURRENT TOP-FOUR SPOT WITH IN-FORM LIVERPOOL APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH THE MAGPIES AND MANCHESTER UNITED AHEAD OF THE FINAL WEEK

14:00, 18 May 2023Updated 17:21, 19 May 2023 The pressure is on but Newcastle United know their top-four fate remains in their own hands. Two wins from their last three fixtures will

guarantee a place in next season's Champions League for the Magpies in what will be their first foray into European football for a decade. Newcastle United and Manchester United both

appeared to have all but cemented their place in the top four only a couple of weeks ago. However, a dramatic late rally from Liverpool has put both clubs under threat with the Reds'

winning seven straight matches including a comfortable 3-0 victory at Leicester City on Monday night. Jurgen Klopp's side currently sit a point adrift of both in the table, having

played one match more. In his recent analysis of the top-four race, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has no doubt Liverpool will win their remaining two fixtures starting with a home clash

with Aston Villa on Saturday night. READ MORE: NEWCASTLE'S UNWANTED SCENARIO WHICH COULD STILL SEAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DESPITE LIVERPOOL CHARGE It means both the Magpies and the Red

Devils need to collect six points in order to mathematically rule out the prospect of Klopp's team sneaking a top-four spot in the final week of the season. But with the changes to the

Champions League set to come into effect from the 2024/25 season, this current season could be one of the last top-four races. Article continues below Europe's premier competition will

expand to a 36-team tournament as the result of including four new entrants, with the traditional group stage set to be scrapped. Instead, clubs will play eight fixtures to determine their

ranking in one league table, with four matches at home and four away. Teams who finish first to eighth will automatically qualify for the round-of-16, with the knock-out stages from that

point onwards remaining the same as the current system. Meanwhile, the sides that finish between ninth and 24th will contest a two-legged play-off, with the eight victors completing the

lineup for the last-16. In terms of the four new entrants, one will qualify via the "Champions Path" qualifying route, which features the leagues ranked outside the top 10 in the

UEFA Country Coefficient. An additional place will be awarded to the league ranked fifth in the UEFA Coefficients, a position which France currently holds and would see three Ligue 1 teams

automatically qualify, and the fourth-placed side entering at the third qualifying round. Article continues below The final two spots will be reserved for the two countries with the highest

coefficient score in the current season. If the new format was being introduced next year rather than 2024/25, England and Italy would both be handed a fifth qualifying spot in the Champions

League as a result. According to these new parameters, a Premier League team would also have been the beneficiary in three of the past four campaigns. Given the strength of English sides in

recent Champions League campaigns, it means the current battle between Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United could be one of the last top-four races. READ NEXT