Man City banned for next two Champions League opens the door up for Arsenal.
It has been announced that Manchester City has been banned by UEFA from competing in the Champions League in 2020/21 and 2021/22.
The Premier League is allowed to enter four teams into next seasons competition and with City almost certain to finish in the top four that means the team that finishes fifth is sure to be invited as England’s fourth representative.
Now, all this will be subject to many appeals by City and they will be taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however, as things stand right now, fifth place is now basically a Champions League qualification spot.
This has yet to be confirmed by the Premier League but it is hard to see any other outcome.
Arsenal currently is just eight points behind fifth-placed Sheffield United with a game in hand. A win over Newcastle United on Sunday reduces that deficit to just five points. That is well within reach.
If this all pans out and the ban is confirmed it breathes new life into Arsenal’s quest to make next seasons Champions League. It still remains a tall order but far from being insurmountable and certainly a lot better than it looked this morning.