Manchester United are, in theory, set for an easier Champions League group than Arsenal and Newcastle due to their superior Uefa coefficient ranking.
United need just one point from their final two games to secure a top-four finish, with Chelsea coming to Old Trafford on Thursday before Fulham's visit on the final day of the season. Erik ten Hag's side have been on course for Champions League qualification for the majority of a brilliant debut season under the Dutchman, holding off a resurgent Liverpool in recent weeks.
While their spot in next season's competition is not yet 100 per cent confirmed, those involved at United will already be looking towards August 31 and the draw for next season's group phase, with a return to Europe's elite competition the major objective of Ten Hag's first year in charge.
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Newcastle confirmed their top-four finish with Monday's 0-0 draw at home to Leicester City, joining Premier League champions Manchester City and runners-up Arsenal in confirming their place in the draw. But should the Reds get their name in the hat come August, a higher UEFA coefficient ranking should see them enjoy a preferable draw.
United are seventh in the current rankings, behind Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, and will be in pot two for the draw.
The rankings are calculated based on presence and results in all three major European competitions over the past five seasons.
Ten Hag's side were knocked out of the Europa League by Sevilla at the quarter-final stage this year, but made it to the last-16 of the Champions League last season and the Europa League final a year before that. They have competed in Europe in each of the last five seasons.
Arsenal have not featured in the Champions League since the 2016/2017 campaign and have dropped to 23rd in the coefficient rankings, which will likely see them placed in pot three when the group-stage draw takes place. Newcastle, without a ranking having not featured in any European competition in any of the last five seasons, will be in the fourth and final pot.
Teams from the same league cannot be drawn together until the quarter-finals, so United will not face either Arsenal or Newcastle, nor will they meet Manchester City who will be in pot one.
United will likely come up against a major European power in the group stages, with pot one consisting of the champions from Europe's top six divisions plus the winners of the Champions League and Europa League. That will mean the likes of Napoli, Barcelona, Paris Saint-German and possibly Bayern Munich - although it looks se to be Borussia Dortmund - will fill the top pot.
However if Dortmund do win the Bundesliga, both Bayern and Real Madrid - who are third in La Liga - will drop down to pot two and be unable to be drawn with United.
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