We’re almost a third of the way into the Premier League season, and the table is starting to take shape.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher has been revisiting his pre-season Premier League predictions, and, as ever, the pundit has got a few things wrong.
The Premier League formbook has certainly been upset this year.
Carragher tipped Manchester City to win the league at the start of the season, but Liverpool are, currently, running away with it.
Carragher also tipped Manchester United to finish fifth at the start of the season, and he now says that was a big mistake, stating that he now thinks Tottenham will be the team that finishes fifth.
Jamie Carragher, pundit for Sky Sports ahead of the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United at Villa Park on December 22, 20...
Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images
Jamie Carragher changes Tottenham finishing prediction
Carragher changed his mind on which team will finish fifth this season.
Indeed, the pundit now thinks Spurs will finish in fifth, with United nowhere close to that position.
Tottenham have been inconsistent this season, and Carragher believes Spurs will just miss out on the top four.
“Now in fifth place, this is the biggest mistake I’ve made in my predictions. I had Manchester United in fifth place in my predictions. I don’t think there’s a chance United finish in fifth position,” Carragher said.
“I’d be very surprised if they finish in the top six. I’m going to go for Tottenham. I’ve said that Tottenham will miss out on the Champions League positions with Chelsea going in there. I’m going to put Tottenham in fifth position.”
Will Tottenham qualify for the Champions League?
Carragher has tipped Tottenham to finish fifth in the Premier League, but will that be enough to qualify for the Champions League?
Of course, in the new Champions League format, two teams in Europe are allocated an extra Champions League place, and, this year, England look as though they could be the beneficiaries of that rule.
Indeed, as things stand, England are second in the coefficient table.
UEFA coefficient table Points
1. Portugal 8.000
2. England 7.571
3. Belgium 7.400
4. Poland 7.125
5. Czechia 7.100
Of course, things can change very quickly in the knockout rounds if big teams are eliminated early on as they were last year.
The likes of Belgium and Poland are unlikely to stick around the top spots for too long, and England already have a bit of a head start ahead of big hitters like Spain and Germany.
However, given how strong sides such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, there’s a good chance English teams will be able to make a serious run in Europe this year.
Of course, Tottenham have another Champions League route available to them via the Europa League.
Spurs are currently on course to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League, and a triumph in that competition would see them qualify for next season’s Champions League regardless of league finish.
Spurs will be hoping to finish in the top four this season, but even if they don’t secure fourth-place or higher, they could still be playing Champions League football next term.
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