With Liverpool needing just a point from the remaining five games to be crowned champions, Arsenal look set to finish runners-up for the third consecutive campaign.
On paper Pep Guardiola’s men appear to have the most forgiving of run-ins, but could one of the other teams pip them to third?
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Kevin Garside, chief sports correspondent
Congratulations to Liverpool, who were devastating before Christmas to establish a lead and when cracks began to appear settled them without fuss.
My tea leaves were pointing at Manchester City, who have the easiest run-in, claiming third before the last-breath win over Aston Villa. The same leaves suggest Nottingham Forest, who have three winnable matches, will be joining them in the Champions League next season, reward for the sheer cheek of blowing up the “pass-pass-pass” playbook of Pep Guardiola.
Lose them and… Newcastle face losable trips to Brighton and Arsenal, but, the Villa beating apart, have been impressive. Villa did not deserve to lose to City and have the most straightforward run-in of the trio, yet alas, have perhaps flowered too late. So my top five looks like this…
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 87 Arsenal – 76 Man City – 71 Nottingham Forest – 69 Newcastle – 68Sam Cunningham, chief football correspondent
Manchester City have a relatively straightforward remaining run-in following that important win against Aston Villa. I feel they will have enough nous and experience to secure a “disastrous” third-place in the league. And while Newcastle were surprisingly thrashed by Villa at the weekend, after six straight wins they should have enough in the sails to carry them into fourth.
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/6IWLKHSuck
I feel for Forest fans, but by my back-of-a-fag-packet calculations they are narrowly, agonisingly missing out – by three points – on the Champions League football the club deserve. That said, Chelsea and Forest are hugely unpredictable, so who knows what will happen…
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 90 Arsenal – 76 Man City – 73 Newcastle – 72 Aston Villa – 69George Simms, sports news reporter
Assuming Liverpool and Arsenal are safe in the top two, third is where it gets interesting. Even having been thumped by Aston Villa, Newcastle still have the form, players and spirit to come out on top, ahead of a Nottingham Forest side who can limp over the line thanks to some very generous fixtures. Their recent slump can be explained in part by tough games.
And for Chelsea, there is a temptation to suggest the Fulham comeback could provide some great inspiration, but it won’t. This is a dysfunctional, stunted team with some horrendous fixtures and the Conference League on their mind. It won’t take much of a push from below for them to slip below seventh – don’t be too shocked if they don’t pick up another point.
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 88 Arsenal – 76 Newcastle – 74 Nottingham Forest – 73 Man City – 71Oliver Young-Myles, football reporter
Securing a top-five finish is infinitely less glamorous than winning the title but Pep Guardiola’s wild celebrations after Matheus Nunes’ last-gasp winner against Villa suggested the fire is still raging. With favourable fixtures (including three guaranteed points against Southampton) and Kevin De Bruyne’s farewell tour providing further motivation, I expect them to finish third.
Newcastle are in menacing form heading into the close season (Photo: Getty)
I expect the Magpies to beat all of Ipswich, Chelsea and Everton at St James’ Park and take at least two points from their two away games at Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal.
Fortunately, Forest also have Leicester City, West Ham and Chelsea still to play and will take enough points from them to pip Aston Villa to the final slot, with Chelsea slipping to seventh.
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 90 Arsenal – 75 Man City – 71 Newcastle – 70 Nottingham Forest – 69Michael Hinks, freelance sports writer
They really shouldn’t stumble from here though, while Tuesday’s win felt like the killer blow to Aston Villa’s chances.
I therefore have Forest, Newcastle and Chelsea scrapping it out for the remaining two places, and though the points gap below suggests it won’t even go to the final day, that is only because I have Chelsea – who I’m struggling to believe are even in with a shout still – losing at both Newcastle and Forest.
Having recently witnessed the rising nerves at the City Ground first-hand though, previous results going another way could easily make Forest’s match with Chelsea on the final Sunday a straight shootout for fifth. It would be a terrible match, but one with huge consequences, and count me in the crowd that want Forest to disrupt the status quo and get over the line.
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 90 Arsenal – 76 Man City – 73 Nottingham Forest – 71 Newcastle – 69Nottingham Forest appeared to be doing the exact opposite but they gave a glimpse in the win over Tottenham of how they plan to grit their teeth and bear the final few weeks of their extraordinary European push. It is unlikely to be pretty but Nuno Espirito Santo-ball can get them over the line.
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Chelsea just haven’t been clinical enough to warrant a Champions League spot and Aston Villa will pay the price too for struggling to fight on four fronts.
Predicted top five:
Liverpool – 90 Arsenal – 76 Man City – 73 Nottingham Forest – 71 Newcastle – 70 Read More Details
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