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Leicester qualify for Champions League group stage after Manchester City draw

Leonardo Ulloa of Leicester City celebrates
Image: Leicester City will play in the Champions League group stage next season

Leicester will play in the Champions League group stage next season after Manchester City's 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Tuesday night guaranteed them a top-three spot in the Premier League.

The Foxes are 12 points clear of City in third, with four games to play, and 13 clear of Arsenal (who have five to play) in fourth, but neither chasing side can take maximum points between now and the end of the season as they face each other in May.

Leicester had already bagged at least a top-four spot, but fourth is not yet enough to guarantee a Champions League spot in the Premier League, with both Liverpool and Manchester City still in action in Europe.

If Manchester City win the Champions League and Liverpool win the Europa League, the fourth-place side will have to drop out, provided Manchester City and Liverpool do not finish in the top four.

Leicester can now turn their attention fully to the Premier League title race, in which they currently lead Tottenham by five points.

Claudio Ranieri saw his side's lead cut at the weekend after they drew 2-2 at home to West Ham on Sunday, and Spurs followed that up with a thumping 4-0 win over Stoke on Monday Night Football.

Leicester need just eight points to guarantee the title, and next face Swansea on Sunday at the King Power Stadium. 

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They will, however, be without leading scorer Jamie Vardy for at least one game after he was sent off against the Hammers.

Around Sky