BURNLEY’S Turf Moor clash with Everton this weekend could be a shootout for Europe with seventh place in the Premier League looking increasingly likely to be rewarded with continental action next term.

It is the Clarets who currently occupy that spot - despite not winning in the league since December 12. They sit one point ahead of Leicester City and three ahead of Everton.

A win for the Toffees on Saturday would draw them level with Burnley, but Sean Dyche’s side have a far superior goal difference over Sam Allardyce’s side.

Anything other than a Burnley win would open the door for Leicester City to go seventh, with the Foxes hosting Bournemouth this weekend.

The chances of seventh place securing European football next season were increased by Manchester City claiming the Carabao Cup last weekend.

The Premier League is allocated three qualifying spots for the Europa League which nominally go to the team finishing fifth in the league, with the top four qualifying for the Champions League, the winners of the FA Cup and the winners of the Carabao Cup.

However with City triumphing at Wembley on Sunday and almost certain to finish in the top four, it means their Europa League qualifying spot will be handed down to the team finishing sixth in the league, which is currently Arsenal.

That would mean the winners of the FA Cup and the teams finishing fifth and sixth would qualify for the Europa League. 

But if the FA Cup is won by a team finishing in the top five then their place in the Europa League is also transferred to the next best league finishers, meaning seventh would be good enough for Europe.

Of the current top five Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea remain in the FA Cup. Spurs face a Wembley replay with Rochdale tonight to reach the last eight while Manchester United host Brighton at Old Trafford in the quarter finals and Chelsea travel to Leicester City.

If one of United, Tottenham or Chelsea with the FA Cup then the seventh placed finishers in the league will enter the Europa League second-qualifying round.

Regardless of the permutations, eighth place will not be enough to secure European football.