 Newcastle United have asked to be considered for next season's InterToto Cup - and despite the recent upsurge in form it looks to be their only way of making an eagerly-awaited return to Europe. But even forcing their way into the much-maligned InterToto Cup and a two-legged game against a team from either Norway, Iceland or Northern Ireland in the middle of July, is going to be difficult. For the Chronicle can reveal today that no fewer than seven clubs from the Premiership have applied for the competition - and only one of them will take part. And the fact that these seven clubs are understood to be Arsenal, Spurs, Bolton, Blackburn, Everton, Middlesbrough and Newcastle shows how important the InterToto is now being regarded, especially as the route into the UEFA Cup is now so hard under the new format. United have invitations to play on just about every continent in the close season, but nothing will be decided until their InterToto, or indeed their UEFA, fate is known. This is the first time United have admitted they have put their name down for the InterToto because, we suspect, that after the mess Graeme Souness left them in, they were embarrassed they would not finish high enough in the table even to be considered. But this has all changed under caretaker boss Glenn Roeder, although an automatic place in the UEFA Cup looks beyond their reach. The InterToto draws were actually made yesterday and England's representatives will be at home in the third round, first leg on July 15-16, with the second away leg being played on July 22. As usual, UEFA will award the top four of the Premiership a place in the Champions League. UEFA Cup slots go to the League and FA Cup winners as a rule, but this has been re-jigged slightly. Fifth place is guaranteed a UEFA Cup place and ordinarily a place each goes to the FA Cup winners and the Carling Cup winners. However, Manchester United's triumph in Cardiff and inevitable Champions League qualification means they do not require their place in the UEFA, meaning the sixth-placed team will now take that slot. United, though, are eight points adrift of Arsenal, who hold that place, and have played a game more. But there are ramifications. This season the FA Cup runners-up will get the slot allotted to the winners should they have already qualified for the Champions League - and with Chelsea and Liverpool taking on Charlton, Middlesbrough or West Ham in the final, that could well be the case. Yet should Boro win the UEFA Cup and reach the FA Cup Final, the slot that the runners-up in Cardiff would have been handed will then go to the seventh-placed team. But if Arsenal can emulate Liverpool last season and win the Champions League, it would be them, and not fourth-placed Spurs, who would bag the fourth European Cup position, with Martin Jol's side having to settle for the UEFA. Meanwhile, the criteria for the InterToto means that the highest placed applicant gets the spot, providing they finish no more than four places beneath a UEFA Cup position. Wigan and West Ham have not applied for the InterToto, with Wigan manager Paul Jewell wary of the tournament after his former club Bradford City's involvement contributed to their relegation back in 2001. So at the moment it is all ifs and buts, with even UEFA officials intrigued by the final outcome of the Premiership's final run-in. A UEFA spokesman told the Chronicle today: "Anybody as low as seventh could still finish in a UEFA Cup place, but it would depend on Middlesbrough going all of the way and winning this season's UEFA Cup, as well as reaching the FA Cup final. "Even though the season is almost at a close there are still a few different outcomes. "England's successful applicant in the InterToto will be the highest-placed team in the Premiership that has not already qualified for the UEFA Cup, and they will join in the third round." They will then play a two-leg tie and, if successful, will go through to the second UEFA Cup qualifying round. Under the new format, three rounds will be played in the competition, instead of five. The 11 victorious teams from the InterToto Cup third round will go through to the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. Each country only has one place. | 
