MATT HUGHES AHEAD OF THE GAME

THE Premier League’s sixth-placed team will qualify for the Champions League for the first time if west Ham finish fifth and win the europa League. as usual, the top four qualify automatically, and a fifth spot is set to be awarded based on english clubs’ performance in europe this season. However, if the fifth-placed Premier League team win

the Champions League or europa League, finishing sixth would be enough to qualify for europe’s elite competition. The same would be true if arsenal, Manchester City or Liverpool win a UEFA trophy and also finish fifth, although that is unlikely. There would be no extra Champions League place if a club finishing in the top four win a UEFA trophy.

THE FA’s review of the approval process for England’s controversial new kit has discovered more rigorous checks under previous regimes at Wembley. Mail Sport revealed last week that Nike’s reworked St George’s cross on England’s new home shirt was signed off by former FA commercial director

Nav Singh in a streamlined process. Between 2010 and 2015 the process involved all new shirts being placed on mannequins in the Wembley boardroom for viewing and feedback by managers of the England men’s, women’s and Under 21s; the FA technical director, chief operations officer, commercial director and chairman.

MANCHESTER United and newcastle are refusing to compromise over dan ashworth, with both clubs planning for a summer without having a sporting director in place. steve nixon will deal with newcastle’s recruitment and, with ashworth on gardening leave, new Ceo omar Berrada is expected to take charge of negotiations at United.