What happens if Liverpool and Leicester City finish level on points and goal difference - Champions League qualification play-off explained

Liverpool now have the upper hand in the race for a top-four Premier League finish after Chelsea beat Leicester City 2-1 on Tuesday night.

That result saw Chelsea leapfrog Leicester into third place on 67 points, with Leicester on 66 points and Liverpool on 63 points ahead of their game against Burnley.

Thomas Tuchel’s Blues look to be in pole position after their win at Stamford Bridge, but the fourth place could end in a dead heat.

What happens if Chelsea win the Champions League? Can fifth place qualify for Champions League?

Should Liverpool win on Wednesday and then beat Crystal Palace, while Leicester beat Tottenham, both teams would finish the season on 69 points.

The results in those games will obviously affect the goal difference and goals scored, and that is very tight too. Leicester have a +20 goal difference and have scored 66 goals; Liverpool +21 and 63 goals.

Premier League rules for classification state that in the unlikely scenario of both teams ending with the same points, goal difference and goals scored, positions would be decided on the head-to-head record between the two teams.

And that would be good news for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Liverpool won 3-0 at Anfield in November, Leicester won 3-1 at the King Power in February - so it would be the Reds who get fourth while Leicester go into the Europa League.

If Leicester hadn't conceded in that home game, it would have gone to a play-off, the first time one has been used in the Premier League.

With Leicester having also won the FA Cup, if they finish in the top five then sixth place in the Premier League – likely to be either Spurs or West Ham United – will also qualify for the Europa League.