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Jamie Carragher believes that Chelsea will miss out on Champions League football next season after the Blues were beaten 2-0 by fellow top-five chasers Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
The tight race to secure a spot in European football’s premier competition took another turn at St James’ Park, after goals from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes saw Newcastle edge past the 10-man Blues and climb into third place.
The result leaves Enzo Maresca’s men sitting in the final Champions League spot on 63 points, with just two games of their topsy-turvy season remaining.
However, Aston Villa are breathing down their necks after a vital win away at Bournemouth pulled them level on points with the Blues.
Prior to the weekend’s result, Opta’s supercomputer predicted that Chelsea were more likely to finish in the top five than Unai Emery’s men, as they were tipped to also edge out Nottingham Forest, who went on to slip up at home to Leicester.
However, Carragher – who won the Champions League in 2005 with Liverpool – is not so convinced that Chelsea will make their way back into Europe’s elite.
Jamie Carragher doesn’t believe that fifth-placed Chelsea will qualify for the Champions League
The Blues three-match winning run in the Premier League was ended by Newcastle on Sunday
Aston Villa’s narrow win over Bournemouth has put them level on points with Chelsea heading into the final two games
‘Chelsea will beat Man United. It’s whether they can beat Nottingham Forest away. There will be a big atmosphere there,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.
‘Maybe even if they can’t get Champions League football, I think Nottingham Forest, last game of the season, the supporters will be desperate to say almost like a big thank you for the season that they’ve had.
‘They’ve got European football, great achievement. I actually think it’ll be Chelsea and Nottingham Forest who miss out, and Aston Villa get in.’
Maresca’s Blues take on 16th place Manchester United on Friday in their final home game of the season.
They then wrap up the campaign at fellow Champions League hopefuls Forest, who have secured European football for the first time in three decades.
Villa also have to play United to close out the season, while they also take on the other Europa League finalists, Tottenham.
Chelsea’s goal difference of 19 is far superior to that of Villa’s seven, so their destiny is in their own hands heading into the final stretch.
However, with Forest just on point below the Blues, who have not played in the Champions League for two seasons, Maresca’s men could finish the season as low as seventh if they lose at the City Ground on the final day.
