Manchester United could miss out on the Champions League group stage even if they won Europa League title

Manchester United beat Celta Vigo in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final thanks to a Marcus Rashford free-kick.

And a date with Ajax or Lyon awaits in Stockholm if they can finish the job at Old Trafford in the second leg.

Jose Mourinho can therefore earn entry into the Champions League through the back door if he succeeds on May 24 when the UEFA Europa League finals will take place at the Friends Arena, Solna.

With United one point outside the top four, they could well need to win the final to stand a chance of playing in next season's Champions League group stage else Mourinho’s men can forget the 2017/18 Champions League.

But if the Red Devils do triumph, what does that mean for the top four in the Premier League?

A maximum of five teams from any one country can qualify for the Champions League, so the fourth placed side in the Premier League would only be in danger of missing out if both winners from the European competitions were English and neither finished inside the top four.

Only then would fourth place be relegated to the Europa League.

The top three in the Premier League go automatically into the group stages of the Champions League, while fourth place will be forced to go through a play-off.

After Leicester's elimination at the quarter-final stage to Atletico Madrid, United's hopes of direct entry to the group stage was reduced to a third place finish in the league.

Unlike Sevilla this season, who benefited from last season's winners Real Madrid also qualifying for the group stage as runners-up in La Liga, United will be forced to negotiate a play-off as Europa League holders.

Lastly, if United finish fourth, to give them a place in the play-offs, and also win the Europa League, they would still have to go through a play-off and fifth place in the Premier League would not be promoted.