Man Utd handed significant Champions League boost that will benefit Michael Carrick

Manchester United's hopes of securing Champions League qualification this season have been boosted, with the club currently sat in fourth in the Premier League table

Manchester United have received a welcome boost in their quest for a Champions League berth this season. The Reds have climbed into fourth position in the Premier League following consecutive victories over Manchester City and Arsenal.

Securing a Champions League place has proved challenging for United in recent years, with their most recent participation coming in the 2023/24 season. That is because qualification is no longer as straightforward as finishing in the top four for Premier League sides, with additional places available.

To establish which nations are awarded the extra spots, UEFA evaluates the collective performance of their clubs across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. The average is worked out by dividing a league's total coefficient score by the number of clubs it has competing in Europe.

This season, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United have all participated in the competition.

Of the six, only Newcastle finished in a play-off position, with the others securing automatic places in the knockout stage.

With the league phase of the Champions League now concluded, a clearer picture is emerging of which countries are in line for an additional place next season.

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As things stand, England top the coefficient table with 180,625 points, followed by Germany on 107,000. Portugal sit third with 14,700 points, whilst Spain are fourth on 14,375.

The two countries whose clubs deliver the strongest performances across the three European competitions this season will be awarded European Performance Spots (EPS).

With England presently leading the rankings, a fifth-place finish in the Premier League could secure United a Champions League place instead of a Europa League position.

Newcastle took advantage of this system last season.

Considering United's current standing in the table, they would be assured of a Champions League spot as matters currently stand, occupying fourth position.

Nevertheless, there remain numerous fixtures to be contested before the campaign concludes. Interim manager Michael Carrick has already cautioned his squad against getting carried away.

Next up is a home encounter with Fulham in the Premier League, where they will aim to make it three victories from three and maintain his flawless record since replacing caretaker Darren Fletcher.