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Liverpool may have blown their chance of FA Cup glory, but their supporters and players should still have an eye on what happens at this weekend’s Wembley final.

After all, it could impact on their summer.

Having secured (or rather, stumbled into) a place in the Europa League on Sunday, the Reds must now wait to find out exactly when they will enter next season’s competition.

Liverpool’s players are currently in Dubai, enjoying (or not) an end of season break, but their summer preparations will be decided by Arsenal and Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

And here’s why Reds should be rooting for the Gunners at Wembley.

ARSENAL WIN

If Arsenal win, then Liverpool will advance straight to the Europa League group stage, taking the ‘FA Cup winners’ spot. Southampton, who finished seventh, will take the second ‘Premier League’ qualification spot.

That means Liverpool’s first European game next season will take place on September 17, allowing the Reds a relatively clear pre-season programme. It will, however, mean they are guaranteed at least six European games next season – whether that is a good or bad thing is open for debate.

VILLA WIN

If Villa win the FA Cup, though, Liverpool will drop into the third qualifying round, meaning their first Europa League fixture will take place on July 30.

The Reds are committed to playing a fixture in Kuala Lumpur, against a Malaysian XI, on July 24 – the final fixture of their three-game tour of Australia and the Far East. Preparation for their competitive campaign, therefore, would be rather hurried.

At least, though, they avoided the ignominy of an even-earlier start to the season. Had they finished seventh in the table, and had Villa then won the cup, they would have been relying on the Fair Play league to provide a passage to Europe.

And as revealed in the ECHO last week, that would have meant starting their season with the first qualifying round....on July 2.