Manchester City are currently in the process of appealing a ban from European football, and Arsenal may be the lucky winners should the ban be upheld.
Mikel Arteta has already stated that the club are working behind the scenes on three possible scenarios, supposedly talking about whether the club play in the Champions League, Europa League or neither, and Man City’s ban may well prove crucial.
It has been mooted that a points-per-game basis should be used to decide which teams participate in the UEFA club competitions next term, and with France, Holland and Belgium having already called time on their campaigns, it is looking increasingly likely that the Premier League may well be forced to follow suit, despite a strong want to complete the current term.
Our points-per-game tally actually sees up leapfrog Tottenham into eighth place in the table, which would likely be deemed the lowest European spot for the coming year’s Europa League.
Manchester City already won the Carabao Cup, granted the league placings a second EL place, and with the FA Cup also more than likely scrapped should the PL give way, that place would surely go to the next spot in the division.
We will only get this final spot if City’s ban is upheld however, which would allow Manchester United to join Chelsea, Leicester and Liverpool in the Champions League, while Sheffield United would leapfrog Wolves, who would also qualify for the EL, into sixth place on the points-per-match system.
It remains to be seen whether a decision will be put back on UEFA’s decision to uphold a two-year ban on the current PL champions for fudging their numbers in order to meet FFP regulations, although the club will most definitely apply for their ban postponed until their appeal is decided upon.
Will Man City be able to win their appeal? Could UEFA uphold the ban despite whether a decision is made on the appeal in time?
Patrick
