A supercomputer has provided its forecast for which teams will secure a spot in the upcoming season`s Champions League.
Liverpool and Arsenal have already secured their places, leaving three valuable qualification spots still available.
Excellent performance by English clubs in European competitions this season has resulted in an extra Champions League berth for the Premier League, meaning the top five teams will qualify instead of the usual four.
With only a few weeks left in the season, a supercomputer from Sky Sports has evaluated each club`s probability of making it into the top five.
Newcastle currently leads the pack among the contenders with 62 points and is given an 84% chance of finishing in the top five.
The Magpies are in remarkable form, having won seven of their last eight matches across all competitions.
However, they face a challenging fixture list ahead, including matches against Brighton, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Everton.
Consequently, Manchester City is considered even more likely to qualify, with analysts giving them a 95% probability.
Despite being only one point behind Newcastle, Pep Guardiola`s squad is heavily favoured to win all their upcoming games against Wolves, Southampton, Bournemouth, and Fulham.
Chelsea and Nottingham Forest appear poised for a direct battle for fifth place, especially after Forest`s unexpected 2-0 loss to Brentford recently.
Aston Villa also remains in contention, albeit with a lower probability of just 13%.
Both Enzo Maresca`s and Nuno Espirito Santo`s teams are currently level on 60 points, suggesting the race could go down to a dramatic final matchday when Forest visits Stamford Bridge.
Even with Chelsea possessing a superior goal difference, the supercomputer slightly favours Forest for the fifth spot, giving them a 59% chance compared to Chelsea`s 49%.
The team that finishes sixth and misses out on the Champions League will qualify for the Europa League.
The allocation of the seventh spot (Europa or Conference League) depends on the outcome of the FA Cup final, which features Crystal Palace.
Should Crystal Palace defeat Manchester City at Wembley, they will claim one of the Europa League places allocated from the Premier League standings.
Furthermore, there`s a potential for six English teams in the next Champions League season if an all-English Europa League final occurs between Tottenham and Manchester United, which seems likely after their first-leg semi-final victories.
