Gary Neville has weighed in on Newcastle United’s Premier League finish with Eddie Howe’s squad pushing for the Champions League.

Just five points separate Man City (44) in fourth and 10th place Fulham (39) in a tightly-contested top half, with fifth spot – currently occupied by Newcastle – set to be enough to secure qualification based on current UEFA standings.

The battle to compete in Europe’s top domestic competition could be the major talking point over the closing months of 2024/25, with the title and relegation spots looking nailed on, and Neville has weighed in with his thoughts on the race for Champions League football.

Neville predicts Premier League top five

Nottingham Forest will fail to qualify for the Champions League and Newcastle will remove any doubt about their European status by climbing into the top four, according to Neville.

The Sky pundit thinks Nuno Espirito Santo’s side may not have enough to keep their place over the next 12 games after suffering three defeats in their last four in the Premier League, believing Man City, Newcastle and Aston Villa will overtake them.

Speaking to Peter Drury on Sky Sports after Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Man City on Sunday, Neville said: “I think Nottingham Forest have been absolutely amazing, the story of the season. But I think they’ll find it hard to hang on,” he told Sky Sports. “I hope they hang on in there, but my feeling is it’s going to be tough for them to hang on in there.

“I think City, Villa, Newcastle, Chelsea might just (catch them)… 12 games is a long way to go. I feel like it could be a long 12 games for Nottingham Forest. I hope that they do stay there because I think that would be amazing for the Premier League.

“We need to see clubs that have been in the bottom one season getting up into the top six, top four, that’s what we need. At the moment, I’m saying City, Newcastle and Villa in the top five, but it could easily be Forest and Chelsea. I think it’s really so close. Bournemouth have been incredible but I don’t think they’ll get into that top five.

Neville’s prediction: 

1. Liverpool
2. Arsenal
3. Man City
4. Newcastle
5. Aston Villa

The run-in

Forest have a difficult pair of fixtures to come as they look to turn their form around with Arsenal and Manchester City heading to the City Ground before the international break.

In one sense Newcastle will be playing catch-up on the teams around them regardless when we return to Premier League action. After a trip to Liverpool tomorrow and West Ham away a week on Monday, we face Brentford at home in April after the international break, having played one less game owing to the Carabao Cup final. 

The majority of sides in the top half, with the exception of us and Arsenal, have had their fixture at Anfield already this season in what is sure to be a massive test for us on Wednesday night. We also have trips to the Emirates and the Amex, as well as Chelsea and Everton at home, in a tough final four weeks of the season.

There is some fortune that Man City will have a difficult task to open up a gap on us should we face defeat against the Reds on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side will head to North London to face Tottenham, who have recently started to find some form.