How Sheffield United can still qualify for Europe after Manchester City's UEFA ban was overturned

City were originally handed the sanction by UEFA's club financial control body, for what it said was a breach of its Financial Fair Play (FFP) and club licensing regulations.

That move would have opened up another place in European competition next season, which the Blades - who are currently seventh in the table - would have been well-placed to take, as things stand.

With just three games left of the Premier League season, United are a point behind sixth-placed Wolves. The top four in England - now including City - will qualify for next season's Champions League places, with three more places in the Europa League up for grabs for English teams.

They go to the next-highest placed league side and the winners of the FA Cup and League Cup. But City's League Cup win, and CAS's decisions, means that fifth and sixth spot in the Premier League will be enough to secure Europa League football next season.

That threshold will drop to seventh if anyone but Arsenal win the FA Cup. The Premier League say that only seven English clubs can compete in European competition, but add that UEFA reserve the right to change that. ESPN report that England could have eight clubs in Europe, if Wolves win the Europa League but finish outside of the European places. But either way, United will have to finish at least seventh in the table to stand a chance of qualifying for Europe.

City, whose appeal to CAS was heard over three days last month, issued a statement welcoming "the implications" of the ruling.

The statement read: "Whilst Manchester City and its legal advisors are yet to review the full ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the club welcomes the implications of today's ruling as a validation of the club's position and the body of evidence that it was able to present.

"The club wishes to thank the panel members for their diligence and the due process that they administered."

It may not seem it, with all the different permutations and what-ifs, but CAS's decision actually simplifies what must be done for the Blades to reach Europe. Now, it's over to them.

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