Chelsea Brentford and Fulham could get European boost as expert makes Man City points deduction prediction..
Chelsea, Brentford and Fulham could get a European qualification boost before the season ends.
Chelsea and others could get an advantage in the race for Champions League football, according to one expert. The Blues are currently scrapping for a top four spot, though it does look likely that fifth place will also become a Champions League spot in the Premier League this season.
UEFA grants an extra Champions League place for the two associations that perform best in Europe relative to the number of clubs they have involved in the three competitions, and England and Spain currently lead the way.
Still, it looks like it will be an intense battle for Champions League qualification this season, with just seven points separating third place Nottingham Forest from ninth placed Brighton. Chelsea currently sit in seventh, just one point behind Man City in fourth, but the Citizens could wind up missing out regardless of how many points they have.
That’s because they face 130 charges over alleged financial breaches, with the Premier League currently locked in litigation, aiming to punish City for their alleged breaches. A verdict and – if applicable, a sentence – is likely to be handed out in either late March or April, according to recent reports, and financial expert Kieran Maguire believes there could be a hefty points deduction lying in wait.
“A points deduction would be the most likely outcome should the club be found guilty,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “As for the quantum of points deduction, if Everton were initially given a 10 points deduction for going around about £10/12 million over the limits in one particular season, I think, in order to set an example to the rest of football, it’s got to act as a deterrent.
“We’ll probably be looking at somewhere in the region of 60 to 100 point, which would effectively guarantee relegation out of the Premier League and into the lower tiers of football in the EFL.”
That could be good news for Chelsea, given there could be one less team to worry about when all said and done. The question would be whether the Premier League hand out the punishment, if City are found guilty, this season or next. Though, in recent examples involving Everton and Nottingham Forest, the punishments have been immediate. There will be eyes aplenty on the legal process as it finally nears a conclusion.
