Supercomputer predicts Premier League European places
Liverpool were the big winners from the weekend's Premier League fixtures after both Manchester United and Newcastle endured defeats.
The Reds' 2022/23 campaign has long seemed written off, but they've now got a genuine chance of gatecrashing the top four with just a few games remaining. Jurgen Klopp's side have rattled off six-straight wins to leave them just a point adrift of United in fourth. The Red Devils, however, have played a game fewer.
Brighton are also going in search of their first-ever European berth, and they still have an outside shot of qualifying for the Champions League given their games in-hand. Nevertheless, Roberto De Zerbi's side look a sure bet to finish in the top seven, which will guarantee them a spot in one of UEFA's competitions next season.
FiveThirtyEight uses its Forecasts and Soccer Power Index (SPI) ratings to predict every fixture throughout the Premier League campaign. Here's who they think will qualify for Europe come the end of the season.
Projected 2022/23 Premier League European places
Position | Team | Current points | Projected points |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Man City | 82 | 91 |
2. | Arsenal | 81 | 87 |
3. | Newcastle | 65 | 72 |
4. | Man Utd | 63 | 71 |
5. | Liverpool | 62 | 68 |
6. | Brighton | 55 | 64 |
7. | Tottenham | 57 | 61 |
Man City and Arsenal have already secured their spots in next season's Champions League, with two places still up for grabs. Man Utd and Newcastle have seemed like sure bets to join the aforementioned sides in Europe's premier club competition, but Liverpool's rise has thrown a spanner in the works.
The Reds conclude the season with three winnable games, but the supercomputer reckons they'll pick up six points which won't be enough to pip either United or Newcastle to a top four spot.
Newcastle are projected to finish third with 72 points and United fourth with 71.
Brighton are predicted to join Liverpool in the Europa League, with the computer projecting the Seagulls to claim just nine points from their remaining fixtures. De Zerbi's men do have tough games against Arsenal, Newcastle, and Man City upcoming.
Nevertheless, they'll do enough to pip Tottenham to sixth place with Ryan Mason's side poised to finish seventh and thus qualify for the Europa Conference League for a second time. Mason guided Spurs into the competition after taking charge as interim boss following Jose Mourinho's dismissal in April 2021.