Manchester United have been handed a timely boost in their pursuit of Champions League football this season. The Red Devils have moved into fourth spot in the Premier League table after back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Arsenal. Securing Champions League qualification has been difficult for United in recent seasons, with their last appearance coming during the 2023/24 campaign.
This is partly because qualification is no longer simply a case of finishing in the top four for Premier League clubs, as additional places are now up for grabs. To determine which nations receive the extra spots, UEFA assesses the combined performance of their clubs across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
The average is calculated by dividing a league's overall coefficient score by the number of clubs it has in European competition.
With the league stage of the Champions League now complete, it's becoming clearer which countries are set to receive an extra place next season.
As it stands, England lead the coefficient rankings with 180,625 points, with Germany second on 107,000. Portugal occupy third place with 14,700 points, while Spain are fourth on 14,375.
The two nations whose clubs produce the best results across the three European competitions this season will receive European Performance Spots (EPS).
Given England's current position at the top of the rankings, a fifth-place Premier League finish could earn United a Champions League berth rather than a Europa League spot.
Newcastle benefited from this arrangement last season.
Based on United's present league position, they would guarantee themselves a Champions League place as things currently stand, sitting in fourth.
However, there are still plenty of matches to be played before the season draws to a close. Interim boss Michael Carrick has already warned his players against complacency.
Up next is a home fixture against Fulham in the Premier League, where they will look to secure three wins from three and preserve his perfect record since taking over from caretaker Darren Fletcher.