Interesting response as 9 journalists asked if Newcastle United will qualify for Champions League | OneFootball

Will Newcastle United qualify for the Champions League?

Will United end the 2024/25 season in the Premier League top five?

Indeed, which quintet will qualify for the Champions League?

Now we are heading into the final month of the season, The Mail have asked nine of their journalists to make predictions on Newcastle United and the other contenders.

The five clubs that will be playing Champions League football next season due to where they finish in the Premier League this campaign.

With of course two to miss out.

The Mail have assumed that Arsenal will qualify, along with Liverpool who have already done so, then asked each of their nine journalists to say which of the other five contenders will finish in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th.

The Mail report – 24 April 2025:

MIKE KEEGAN

3 – Manchester City

4 – Nottingham Forest

5 – Newcastle United

6 – Chelsea

7 – Aston Villa

When you look at the run-ins you could make a case for none of those involved losing a single game.

For me it’s as they are, with [Man] City finishing on 71 ahead of Forest (69) and Newcastle (68). Chelsea and Villa both end on 65 with the west London side’s goal difference putting them in sixth.

TOM COLLOMOSSE

3 – Manchester City

4 – Nottingham Forest

5 – Aston Villa

6 – Newcastle

7 – Chelsea

In such a tight race, the quality of the coaches can make the difference and Eddie Howe’s ongoing absence from the Newcastle dugout may prove a key factor in this race.

JACK GAUGHAN

3 – Man City

4 – Nottingham Forest

5 – Newcastle United

6 – Aston Villa

7 – Chelsea

Chelsea have got a nasty run-in, with Liverpool to play as well as away trips to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.

Before last weekend, you’d say Newcastle were certainties but it’ll be interesting to see how they respond to that setback at Villa, who in turn need results elsewhere to go their way now.

CHRIS WHEELER

3 – Man City

4 – Nottingham Forest

5 – Newcastle

6 – Aston Villa

7 – Chelsea

Forest’s run-in should enable them to claim fourth ahead of Newcastle, who will bounce back from Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa and beat Ipswich but have a tough set of fixtures.

Not as tough as Chelsea who are in danger of dropping into seventh, with Villa finishing sixth due to their inferior goal difference and only having four more games.

JOE BERNSTEIN

3rd – Man City

4th – Chelsea

5th – Nottingham Forest

6th – Newcastle

7th – Aston Villa

Chelsea have come through their wobble and I fancy them to get results at Newcastle and Forest in the remaining six-pointers.

I fear for Newcastle with Forest a point ahead of them. Nuno’s men can bank on their home derby against Leicester.

NATHAN SALT

3 – Nottingham Forest

4 – Manchester City

5 – Newcastle United

6 – Aston Villa

7 – Chelsea

Chelsea have to face a revived Everton, go to Anfield to play champions elect Liverpool, go up to Newcastle, and go away to Nottingham Forest on the final day. I don’t trust them when the pressure is dialled up.

MATT BARLOW

3 – Man City

4 – Newcastle

5 – Forest

6 – Villa

7 – Chelsea

[Man] City seem to be over the worst of it. Only four to play but all winnable and even if Wolves are in terrific form 10 points should be enough to clinch third. I expect Newcastle to chase them in, with three home games out of five and no distractions.

KIERAN GILL

3 – Man City

4 – Nottingham Forest

5 – Chelsea

6 – Newcastle

7 – Aston Villa

This is dependent on Chelsea’s young side growing some cojones and extracting results from the big games they have remaining.

They still have to face Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, remember, so their Champions League fate is in their own hands, really, even if those fixtures are away from home.

I realise barely anybody is giving them a chance, but they’ve been in contention all season and can still secure their target.

DAVID COVERDALE

3 – Manchester City

4 – Newcastle United

5 – Nottingham Forest

6 – Aston Villa

7 – Chelsea

Despite being thrashed at Aston Villa, I expect Newcastle to return to form in the run-in and they have three home games they should win.

I think Villa will run Forest close but just miss out, while Chelsea will come seventh given they have to host Liverpool and visit top-five rivals Newcastle and Forest.

My conclusion?

An interesting mixture of views and when it comes to which three clubs will get Champions League football and which two to miss out, adding the votes together, this is how many of the nine journalists believe each club will qualify:

9 Man City, Forest

6 Newcastle United

2 Chelsea

1 Villa

With these journalists at The Mail, they all end up seeing it as Forest and Man City getting top five, with then a split, six going for Newcastle United, two for Chelsea and one for Villa.

One of the three who predicted Newcastle United to miss out, pointed to the absence of Eddie Howe in the dugout as a key factor. Obviously the predictions done before Thursday’s great news that Eddie had returned to work, so hopefully he can inspire and help United get over the line.