- Jamie Carragher and Craig Bellamy think Chelsea will finish outside the top five
- Carragher thinks that Aston Villa will also just fall short but Bellamy disagrees
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Jamie Carragher and Craig Bellamy both fancy Newcastle United to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
A top-five finish in the Premier League is likely to be enough to book a spot in Europe’s top competition next term and Newcastle jumped into fifth place on Monday night by cruising to a 3-0 win away at Leicester.
Speaking on Sky Sports after that game, pundits Jamie Carragher and Craig Bellamy were put on the spot and asked to predict which five teams they expect to be flying the flag for England in the next edition of the Champions League.
Both former players tipped Chelsea to miss out on the top five, despite Enzo Maresca’s men currently sitting in fourth, while it was mutually assumed that Liverpool and Arsenal would qualify.
Aston Villa are seventh right now but – along with second-placed Arsenal – still in this season’s Champions League.
Carragher predicted that Villa would ‘just miss out’ but Bellamy backed them to finish in the top five, with the Welshman also suggesting that Unai Emery’s men could even secure qualification by becoming European champions this season.
Jamie Carragher tipped Aston Villa to miss out on a place in next season’s Champions League
But Bellamy fancies Villa to finish in the Premier League’s top five – or even conquer Europe!
The pundits made their predictions after watching Newcastle win 3-0 at Leicester on Monday
Bellamy said: ‘Newcastle from what we have seen tonight and the momentum of just winning a first cup in numerous years, I have got a feeling with Newcastle.
‘Man City are usually in the hunt for leagues so it is not uncommon for them to be in this pressure stage.
‘And Villa, I have got a funny feeling with Aston Villa and the Champions League you know. I felt it in September, the manager’s experience at this level, they are organised and have powerful options. I felt of all the British teams, Aston Villa is the one to watch out for in this tournament.
‘Would we all like to see Forest? Who wouldn’t? I grew up in the 1980s with Brian Clough, they are a special club because of that man. It would be a great story but my feeling is towards Newcastle, Man City and Aston Villa.
Carragher added: ‘Looking at the fixtures and Newcastle have a game in hand, I think Nottingham Forest will just do it, I think Chelsea will miss out as they have the toughest fixtures.
‘Newcastle will make it and I think Man City will just make it as well. Those last four fixtures, you would expect Man City to win all four, even with the troubles they have had this season. I think Aston Villa will just miss out.’
