Newcastle United’s victory over Nottingham Forest cemented their place in the Champions League qualification battle.
The thrilling 4-3 victory at St James’ Park on Sunday sent Eddie Howe’s side back to fifth place in the Premier League rankings, only three points behind Nottingham Forest in third.
There could be five Champions League qualification spots available this season, given England presently leads the Uefa coefficient system.
However, with 12 Premier League games left this season, there is still enough to play for. Newcastle is still competing on three fronts, with the 2025 Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup fifth round both coming up next month.
Howe is likely to qualify for Europe, but he might make history this season by finishing in the top five and bringing trophy to Tyneside.
Supercomputer predicts Newcastle United’s finish
Following the Forest triumph, Shearer predicted that Newcastle will reach the Champions League this season as long as players were not distracted by the Carabao Cup final.
However, while Shearer is a legend, he may be significantly more biased than a supercomputer when projecting Newcastle’s league position.
According to Opta simulations, Newcastle are set to finish fifth this season, which will be good news for Toon fans.
Interestingly, the supercomputer believes that Newcastle has a 52.7% chance of finishing in the top five, which should be enough to guarantee a return to the Champions League.
Why Newcastle United is yearning for Champions League football
Returning to the Champions League has various advantages, not the least of which being Newcastle’s opportunity to compete with Europe’s finest throughout the week.
The Champions League has a significant financial impact, providing a lift of more over £30 million to Newcastle’s attempts to regain PSR.
Furthermore, Newcastle are expected to have a larger transfer budget available this summer, and qualifying for the Champions League will assist the Magpies lure Europe’s best talent.
It will undoubtedly aid in the recruitment of new players, but it will also assist Newcastle in retaining their most valuable assets.
Alexander Isak wants to play in the Champions League before signing a new contract. A new deal this summer would put a stop to all talk about him leaving St James’ Park.
