Opta supercomputer has just predicted whether Newcastle United will qualify for the Champions League

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Newcastle United put themselves firmly in the race for Champions League qualification by beating Nottingham Forest.

The dramatic 4-3 victory at St James’ Park on Sunday lifted Eddie Howe’s side back up to fifth in the Premier League table and now just three points behind Nottingham Forest in third.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
3	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	26	14	5	7	44	33	11	47
4	Man CityManchester City	26	13	5	8	52	37	15	44
5	NewcastleNewcastle	26	13	5	8	46	36	10	44
6	B’mouthBournemouth	26	12	7	7	44	30	14	43

There should be five Champions League qualification spots available this season with England currently leading the Uefa coefficient table.

But with 12 Premier League games remaining this season, there is still plenty to play for. Newcastle are still fighting on three fronts, too, with the 2025 Carabao Cup final coming up next month as well as the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Howe is expected to qualify for Europe, but he is on the brink of making history this season if he can finish inside the top five and bring silverware to Tyneside.

Supercomputer predicts where Newcastle United will finish

After the Forest victory, Shearer backed Newcastle to reach the Champions League this season provided that players are not distracted by the Carabao Cup final.

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However, while Shearer is a legend, he may be slightly more biased than a supercomputer when it comes to predicting Newcastle’s league finish.

The simulations at Opta show that Newcastle are most likely to finish in fifth this season which will be music to the ears of Toon fans.

Interestingly, the supercomputer predicts that Newcastle have a 52.7% chance of finishing inside the top five, which should be enough to secure a return to the Champions League.

Why Newcastle United desperately need Champions League football

Returning to the Champions League comes with several positives – not just Newcastle mixing it with Europe’s best on weekdays.

The financial benefit of the Champions League is huge, and it would provide boost of over £30m in Newcastle’s attempts to wrestle PSR.

On top of that, Newcastle are set to have an improved transfer budget available this summer and qualifying for the Champions League will help the Magpies attract Europe’s brightest talent.

READ MORE: ‘Phenomenal’ winger scouted by Newcastle United just dropped 10/10 Champions League display

It will certainly help bring new players into the club, but it will also help Newcastle keep hold of their biggest stars.

Alexander Isak wants Champions League football in order to sign a new deal. A new contract this summer would finally end all speculation of him leaving St James’ Park.