Explained: How finishing seventh in the Premier League can secure Champions League qualification

The Premier League had been expecting to have five teams in the Champions League next season and remain on course to do so despite the fact that Tottenham, Chelsea Newcastle and Manchester City were all dumped out of the competition this week at the last 16 stage: Atletico saw off Spurs over two legs, PSG knocked out Chelsea, Newcastle were thrashed by Barcelona and City were beaten by Real Madrid.

However, England still has a higher coefficient score than Spain (23.892) - the second-placed country from last season - which means English clubs need just a single draw from the remaining games this season to secure the extra space and have five teams in next season's Champions League. 

The only countries able to overtake England are Portugal and Spain. But the only way Portugal can grab the extra spot would be for their teams to reach the finals of the Champions League and the Europa League. 

The good news for Premier League clubs is that there are still five Premier League teams left in European competition. Arsenal and Liverpool are in the Champions League, while Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa remain in contention in the Europa League and Crystal Palace are through to the quarter-finals of the Conference League.

As unlikely as it sounds, there is a scenario where the seventh-placed team in the Premier League can qualify for next season's Champions League but it will need a lot of help from Liverpool and Aston Villa. Liverpool would need to win the Champions League and finish fifth in the Premier League, while Aston Villa must win the Europa League and finish sixth. If all of that plays out, then UEFA would award an extra Champions League spot to England which would go to the seventh best team in the Premier League. 

Brentford currently sit in seventh place in the table but are just two points ahead of Brighton and Everton.

Arsenal go on to play Sporting CP in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and if they progress will then face either Barcelona or Atletico for a place in the final. Liverpool are up against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight and will take on Bayern Munich or Real Madrid if they make it past Luis Enrique's side.

The Europa League will continue after the international break with Aston Villa taking on Bologna and Nottingham Forest up against Porto. If both Premier League teams win they are scheduled to meet in the semi-finals of the tournament. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, take Fiorentina in the last eight of the Conference League.