In years gone by, the 'race for the top four' in the Premier League has been a byword for Champions League qualification.

But that could change this season, with the Premier League leading the race to earn a fifth spot in Europe's premier club competition.

As was the case last season, Uefa will award two bonus spots in the 2025-26 Champions League to the domestic leagues which perform best in Europe this season.

What does it mean?

Supporters of Bournemouth, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest could be cheering on Manchester City, Aston Villa and Manchester United as we head into the final group-stage matches in the Champions League and Europa League.

There is even a scenario that could give English clubs seven Champions League places next season.

Confused? Let us explain...

Each league earns a coefficient ranking based on how their teams perform in Europe.

Coefficient points are earned through match results - two for a win and one for a draw.

The points earned by clubs from the same domestic league are added up and divided by the number of clubs the league has in Europe.

For example, if the Premier League had 100 points, that would be split by the number of teams playing in Europe (seven) and give England a coefficient of 14.28.

This season bonus points are available to clubs playing in the Champions League, which is advantageous to leagues with more clubs competing in it, such as Germany and Italy.

The countries that finish in the top two of the coefficient table earn an additional Champions League spot.

Those spots are awarded to the teams which finish in the first position below the Champions League allocation in those leagues.

In the Premier League, the top four clubs qualify for the Champions League via league position, so any additional spot would go to the team in fifth.

Last season the additional spots were given to Bologna and Borussia Dortmund, who finished fifth in Serie A and the Bundesliga respectively.

As of 26 January, England is leading the coefficient table. Premier League clubs have built up the most points and have the highest average.

1. England - points: 100; average: 14.34

2. Italy - points: 88; average: 11.05

3. Spain - points: 82; average: 11.77

4. France - points: 66 average: 10.94

5. Germany - points: 79 - average: 9.88

According to Opta, there is a 98% chance that the Premier League will earn an additional place in next season's Champions League.

Should the Premier League earn an additional spot, the team finishing fifth this season will qualify for the 2025-26 Champions League.

Currently that is Newcastle.

But there is an 14-point gap between Arsenal in second and Fulham in 10th, meaning the race for the top five is very much open.

Third-placed Nottingham Forest are having a sensational season and Opta predictions give them a 44% chance of finishing in the top four.

Should fifth place earn a Champions League spot, Forest's chances of qualification increase to 63%.

Opta gives Newcastle a 27% chance of finishing in the top four and 45% in the top five, with Bournemouth at 13% and 26% respectively.

Should the Premier League earn five Champions League places, there will still be two places available in the Europa League and one in the Conference League next season.

The winners of the Europa League are granted a Champions League slot.

Under previous rules, one league could have a maximum of five clubs in the Champions League.

However, that rule has been scrapped.

This season any team that win the Europa League but do not qualify for the Champions League via their domestic league position will go into the Champions League - as well as the domestic qualifiers.

This raises the possibility of Manchester United or Tottenham, who are both unlikely to qualify for the Champions League via their Premier League position, winning the Europa League to enter the Champions League alongside the top five.

Now we're getting specific.

The winners of the Champions League are guaranteed a place in next season's competition.

On rare occasions, teams have won the Champions League but finished outside the qualification places in their domestic league - as Chelsea did in 2011-12.

Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League but earned a Champions League place at the expense of fourth-placed Tottenham because there was a four-club limit from one country.

But if, for example, Manchester City win the Champions League this season but finish outside the qualification places in the Premier League, they will earn a place alongside those teams who qualify through league position.

It means the Premier League could theoretically have seven teams in next season's Champions League - the top five in the table, the winners of this season's Champions League and the winners of the Europa League.