Ally McCoist has backed Newcastle United to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League next season ahead of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton.
Newcastle have 12 games left to play this season as they currently find themselves in fifth place, two points behind Tottenham in fourth. Eddie Howe's side have two games in hand over Spurs and could even move into third place ahead of Manchester United should they claim all three points when they take on the Red Devils at St James' Park on Sunday.
Beneath the Magpies, Liverpool are five points behind them in sixth as Jurgen Klopp's team look to try and put behind their uncharacteristically poor season and put a run of form together for the next two months. Brighton are also five points behind Newcastle, but the Seagulls have played one game less and could move just two points back should they win their game in hand.
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As May slowly creeps into view, teams know that every point gained from here to end of this term will prove vital in their efforts to qualify for Europe's premier competition in the 2023/24 campaign. And McCoist has now backed Newcastle to beat the likes of Liverpool and Spurs to a much-coveted spot in the top-four.
"Newcastle," McCoist told talkSPORT co-host Laura Woods when asked who he thought would finish in fourth. "You thought I was going to say Liverpool didn’t you?
"I’ll give them right now in order. The favourites: Newcastle, Liverpool, Tottenham and Brighton. That’s the order of favouritism for top four. So I think Newcastle have the best chance and Brighton have the worst chance."
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