07 May 2019 02:00:45
Just out of curiousity is there still a qualifier we have to play if we finish 4th or are we straight in the draw? I'm not sure if the rules have changed.
Just thinking if we don't have to play a qualifier we can rest our starting XI against Leicester. Caballero, Zappacosta, Cahill, Ampadu, Alonso, Barkley should all start if were straight in the draw. Moses and Drinkwater should start as part of a farewell. Hopefully see some of the other younger ones like Redan and Mceachran play as well.
We still need to win the Europa to get Sarri a winning mentality. If we lose doubts will still be there. So we need to rest the likes of Luiz, Hazard, RLC, Azpi and Jorginho if we can.
07 May 2019 04:36:47
We're straight in the draw, doesn't matter what happens now we're guaranteed Champions league football next season.
07 May 2019 09:17:03
Yes, we are guaranteed Champion's League football, but not straight into group stages I reckon. Perhaps this has changed, but I think that the team finishing 4th has to play the extra'play-off' game before entering the group stage, and only if we finish third do we go straight into the group stage. Can anyone else confirm this though (eg one of the eds perhaps)?
07 May 2019 10:43:02
JBS
Top Four fro the prem go to the group stage now. It's changed.
07 May 2019 11:30:39
Thanks Nathswindon, this is very good news (avoiding two additional and potentially tricky fixtures)!
07 May 2019 10:31:21
I think 4th position in England takes you straight through to the group stages now but I may well be wrong!
07 May 2019 13:29:26
If we finish 4th (not being negative but I don't see us beating Leicester away) does that mean we'll be in pot 4 and have a hard draw? Or us previously doing well in Europe will that propel us to say pot 2?