Premier League fifth-place qualification rules for Man United if Man City win Champions League

Manchester City remain on course to end their Champions League drought after picking up a 1-1 draw away at Real Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final.

Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out Vinicius Junior's first-half opener to ensure the tie remains level heading into the Etihad return next week. With City having home advantage, Pep Guardiola's men will be favourites to progress to next month's showpiece and a date with either AC Milan or Inter Milan.

City are well placed to win the Premier League heading into the final weeks of the season while they have an FA Cup final date with rivals Manchester United to look forward to on June 3. The latter are chasing Champions League football themselves as they seek a top-four spot in the league.

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But they won't get any favours from City, even if they win Europe's elite competition and qualify automatically. Guardiola's men have already secured their spot in the Champions League through their league position but even if they lift the trophy in Turkey, their place would not pass down to the fifth-placed finisher in the Premier League.

Instead, that spot is transferred to the winners of the highest-ranked national league in the UEFA coefficient without an automatic group-stage qualifying spot. That means the winners of the Ukrainian Premier League, where Shakhtar Donetsk are currently top, would earn a place in the Champions League.

United would have earned direct entry had they won the Europa League but Erik ten Hag's side were knocked out in the last eight by Spanish side Sevilla. If the Reds finish fifth in the Premier League, they will enter the Europa League at