Liverpool’s season could yet have a major impact on the other side of Merseyside, and not just because of what happens in the Premier League table.
With UEFA’s rules creating extra routes into the Champions League, the finishing positions in England are no longer as simple as the traditional top four. That has opened the door to some unusual possibilities for clubs further down the division.
One of those possibilities could directly benefit Everton. If Liverpool win the Champions League, Aston Villa win the Europa League, and both sides then finish fifth and sixth in the Premier League, seventh place would be enough to qualify for Europe’s premier competition in 2026/27.
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Why Liverpool winning in Europe could matter to Everton
The key detail here is that European title winners can qualify via their competition as well as through domestic placement.
If Liverpool and Villa were to finish outside the usual automatic league spots but still lift major UEFA trophies, the league’s Champions League allocation would effectively stretch further down.
That would hand a huge opportunity to the team finishing seventh. Right now, that is an important detail for Everton because they are sitting eighth and only trail Brentford in seventh on goal difference.
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From Liverpool’s point of view, the priority would obviously be securing silverware and the strongest finish possible. But in this very specific scenario, Arne Slot’s side, who face PSG next, could also end up helping the Toffees into Europe’s top competition without meaning to.
For Everton, the message is simple. Seventh place may not normally spark Champions League talk, but under these circumstances, it could become one of the most valuable positions in the table.
That changes the pressure and the incentive in the run-in. Brentford currently hold that place, but only on goal difference, which leaves the Blues well within touching distance if they can put a short run together.
It also adds extra intrigue for Liverpool supporters tracking the wider European picture. Winning the Champions League would be a huge story on its own, but the knock-on effect could be one of the strangest Merseyside subplots in recent memory.
Moyes’ men still have work to do before any of this becomes relevant. But if the Reds take care of business in the Champions League and Villa do the same in the Europa League, seventh place could suddenly become the golden ticket.
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