Where can each club finish in the table this season?

The Premier League is heading into the final three Matchweeks with it all to play for, with drama set to unfold at both ends of the table. 

Even with only three matches to play – four for Crystal Palace and Manchester City – such is the tightness of the table, teams all the way down to 16th have the possibility of finishing in a position that will earn them a place in UEFA competitions next season.

In fact, some teams can in theory qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League or be relegated, such is the way the teams are spread out. 

Newcastle United in 13th and Leeds United and Crystal Palace in the two places below could in theory finish sixth, which could be enough to get into the Champions League (if fifth-placed Aston Villa win the UEFA Europa League and finish fifth), or they could end up in 18th, which would earn them a spot in the Championship. 

Of course, while many teams are aiming to finish as high as possible in the hope of qualifying for European football for next season, there is also the extra incentive of merit payments. 

The higher a club finish, the higher the merit payment they receive from the Premier League’s central payments. 

As part of the money they receive from central payments, clubs earn money based on their finishing positions in the table, with these merit payments based on a sliding scale calculated according to where you finish in the league, from 1st to 20th.

The champions, for example, are set to receive 20 times the basic merit payment, while the club who finish second get 19 times, and so on. 

Last season each place was worth approximately an additional £2.6m, with champions Liverpool earning £53.1m, while bottom club Southampton received £2.6m.

So large movements in this season’s final positions would result in significant changes in merit payments.

See more on how payments were distributed last season.