Man United's Ed Woodward warns English clubs are in danger of losing Champions League spot

Man United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward warns English clubs need to improve in Europe

ED WOODWARD has warned that the Premier League is in danger of losing it's fourth qualifying place for the Champions League - if our clubs flop in Europe again.

 

Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman has underlined that if English clubs are out-performed by their German and Italian rivals in Europe’s top club competition this season then the Premier League will be restricted to three clubs for next season’s tournament.

Woodward said: "In simple terms, if we do as badly as we did last season and Italy and Germany do as well as they did last season then our [UEFA] co-efficient would drop and that fourth position would come under threat for next year.

 

“Because it is an average, it is very difficult to say that ‘Team A’ needs to do this and ‘Team B’ needs to do that.  It is a relative analysis with those two countries [Italy and Germany] being key. "

Since Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012, following United's achievement of reaching three finals in the previous four years, the performances of English clubs in Europe has fallen dramatically.

Last season Liverpool went out at the group stage while Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea were all knocked out at the last 16 round.

 

Italian champions Juventus reached the final however while Bayern Munich were semi-finalists and the other three German clubs all reached the last 16.

So far this season, Manchester City have already qualified with two games to spare, United top their group, Chelsea are also on course for the knock-out stages but Arsenal need to win their last two games and pray other results go for them.

The possibility of losing the fourth place, will serve to intensify the race to finish in the top three of the Premier League this season to ensure qualification for the money-spinning Champions League next season.