11:00am Tuesday 16th March 2010
BURNLEY are closing the gap on Fulham in their bid to qualify for Europe via the Fair Play League – increasing the possibility that they could start next season before the World Cup has even finished.
The latest rankings published this week show that the Clarets remain in with a realistic chance of playing in the Europa League next season – even if they are relegated.
England are currently on course to be handed a fair play place in Europe next season, providing they remain among the continent’s fairest three nations.
They are currently third in the rankings.
Fulham have been the most likely candidates to take that fair play place for some time but Burnley are their nearest challengers and new figures show that they halved the deficit during the month of February, having fared better in the categories of positive play, respect towards the referee and opponents in that period.
Burnley sit sixth in the Fair Play League but Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea look set to qualify for Europe anyway.
Qualification would mean having to start on July 1 in the first qualifying round – 10 days before this summer’s World Cup final.
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