Should Everton finish 11th, this is what would need to happen for next season to start with a flurry in Europe:

- Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City qualify for Champions League as the top four (the first three have a healthy gap to the chasing pack, with City just one point away from making this part of the equation a reality)

- Newcastle finish fifth and gain the extra Champions League spot for English clubs' performances in Europe this season (Newcastle are currently sixth, one point off fifth with a game in hand)

- Brighton qualify for the Europa League by finishing sixth (currently seventh, separated from Newcastle above them by goal difference alone)

- Bournemouth finish seventh and qualify for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup (currently 10th, three points off seventh)

- Chelsea finish eighth and qualify for the Europa League by winning the Conference League (a spanner in the works as they are fourth, but they are only four clear of Fulham in eighth and are heavy favourites to win the Conference League)

- Aston Villa finish ninth but qualify for the Champions League by winning that (Villa are currently ninth and face Paris Saint Germain in the quarter-finals)

- Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur finish 10th but qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League (both are some way off 10th, with United facing a seven point gap to that position)

If all of that were to happen then the Conference League spot that has been clinched by Newcastle for their Carabao Cup win over Liverpool could not go to any of the top 10 and would be given to the team in 11th. In reality it would also require Everton to overhaul Fulham, currently 11 points clear, but they do at least face them before the end of the campaign.

The dream is, therefore, highly unlikely but just about alive!