Will the Premier League get five Champions League places again?

It’s in a very strong position now – but the schedule will look very different in a month.

A lot will depend on the final two rounds of matches in the Champions League and Europa League.

Poland is in first place but its four teams played in the conference league, with one team eliminated. With this competition concluding the league stage, Poland will not score any points in January and will fall to the bottom of the table.

Given the number of extra points available in the Champions League, it is very unlikely that a league outside the traditional top five will secure an EPS spot.

England ranks second, 1,201 points behind Germany. In real terms, that’s four wins and a draw for Bundesliga clubs.

But England has more teams in Europe – nine to Germany’s seven – so each win is worth less than their average points.

That’s why England has to keep as many clubs active as possible, otherwise other leagues could throw away their results.

It is very likely that eight English clubs will continue in the Champions League and Europa League, thus receiving huge bonus points. Crystal Palace has already qualified for the preliminary round in the Conference League.

Germany could lose both Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt from the Champions League, which would strengthen England’s position.

Cyprus is not a realistic contender as there are only three active teams left, and Paphos could be eliminated from the Champions League.

With two leagues gaining additional Champions League places, Germany and one other country would need to overtake the English Premier League – and there is a huge gap.

Italy trails England by eight wins. For Spain, nine wins and a draw.

As for Italy, Juventus and Napoli have struggled in the Champions League, but should ensure a whole host of teams qualify.

Spain, which has eight teams in Europe, will almost certainly lose Villarreal from the Champions League. Athletic Club could also withdraw, while Celta Vigo’s progress in the Europa League is also uncertain.

But it’s not over yet. If English clubs suffer poor results in the knockout stages and round of 16, it could open the door for them. Other league scores will start increasing soon.

It sounds very good, but nothing is certain.