Stats experts Opta predict final Premier League table as Newcastle and Aston Villa target Champions League

Newcastle United’s battle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League will go down to the final day of the Premier League season when Everton are the visitors to St James Park.

On a weekend when the likes of Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Chelsea all claimed wins to keep their top five hopes alive, the Magpies suffered a narrow loss at second place Arsenal, who secured their own spot at European football’s top table thanks to a Declan Rice goal. With the Gunners and Liverpool all now confirmed in next season’s Champions League, there are still three places up for grabs and just one point separates the five clubs in contention ahead the final day of the campaign.

Manchester City have an opportunity to move to the brink of landing a top five spot when they host Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night - but then it will be all eyes on Sunday afternoon as the Premier League season comes to a close. But who is predicted to end the season in the top five and could Eddie Howe guide Newcastle into the Champions League for the second time in his managerial reign on Tyneside? We take a look at the last predicted Premier League table provided by the stats experts at Opta.

Opta’s predicted final Premier League table

20th: Southampton - 12 points 19th: Ipswich Town - 23 18th: Leicester City - 26 points 17th: Tottenham Hotspur - 39 points 16th: Manchester United - 40 points 15th: West Ham United - 42 points 14th: Wolverhampton Wanderers - 44 points 13th: Everton - 46 points 12th: Crystal Palace - 51 points 11th: Fulham - 55 points 10th: Bournemouth - 56 points 9th: Brentford - 56 points 8th: Brighton and Hove Albion - 58 points 7th: Nottingham Forest - 66 points 6th: Chelsea - 67 points 5th: Aston Villa - 68 points 4th: Newcastle United - 68 points 3rd: Manchester City - 69 points 2nd: Arsenal - 73 points 1st: Liverpool - 87 points

What has Eddie Howe said about the battle for the Champions League?

Speaking after Sunday’s defeat at Arsenal, the Magpies boss said: "My mood is the same after we lose: I'm disappointed, frustrated, takes time to get out of that way of thinking. I will look back positively on this game, there was so much to take from it. "Halfway through the season we weren't in a great position. We worked hard to get here. It's an incredibly tight race. We have one more game to execute what we need.

"We love playing at home. It's a really great atmosphere. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves and make it too emotional. "We know what we have to do, our home form has been strong. We've enjoyed playing there, there will be none bigger than this. The Newcastle fans will come out for us. "You can label that at us we weren't ruthless, we didn't take the chances. It's not for a lack of trying. We were really strong mentally today. There was no hangover from the players."

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