The former Newcastle United captain has given his take on the race for the Champions League.
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has pointed to one positive reason why his old club should be confident they can claim a place in next season’s Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season.
Despite Sunday’s narrow defeat at second placed Arsenal, the Magpies remain in control of their own destiny as they look to secure another shot at the elite of European football after facing the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund in last season’s Champions League. As it stands, Newcastle will head into Sunday’s home game with Everton sat in third place in the Premier League table - although Manchester City could leapfrog Eddie Howe’s men with a home win against Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
For Newcastle, the equation is a simple one - beat Everton at St James Park and Tyneside will host Champions League football once again when the new season gets underway in August. However, any other result could open the door for Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea to end the campaign in the top five and leave United face competing in the Europa League.
The final day fixtures only add to the intrigue as Villa travel to a Manchester United side that face Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final on Wednesday night. Manchester City head to Fulham, who could still land a European place on the final day of the season and, significantly, Forest host Chelsea at the City Ground in a fixture that Shearer described as ‘a play-off for Champions League football’. The former England captain also assessed Newcastle’s home clash with Everton and insisted the scenario facing his old club is one they would have ‘snapped your hands off for’ had they been offered it when the season got underway in August.
When asked if he was anticipating a tense afternoon, the Magpies legend told The Rest is Football podcast: “Yeah, absolutely. But if you had said to any Newcastle fan, you've got Everton at home last game of the season and you win and you go into Champions League football, they would have snapped your hands off for that - and that's the case because it looks as if one of Forest or Chelsea are going to miss out. It's a play-off basically. It's a playoff for Champions League football. I mean, that is one of the biggest games ever. Newcastle know if they beat Everton, then they've got Champions League football - so that in itself is positive for them.”
What has Eddie Howe said about the battle for the Champions League?
Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United, shakes hands with Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United FC at Emirates Stadium on May 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United, shakes hands with Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United FC at Emirates Stadium on May 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United, shakes hands with Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Newcastle United FC at Emirates Stadium on May 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Speaking after Sunday’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium, Howe said: "My mood is the same after we lose: I'm disappointed, frustrated, takes time to get out of that way of thinking. I will look back positively on this game, there was so much to take from it. "Halfway through the season we weren't in a great position. We worked hard to get here. It's an incredibly tight race. We have one more game to execute what we need.
"We love playing at home. It's a really great atmosphere. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves and make it too emotional. "We know what we have to do, our home form has been strong. We've enjoyed playing there, there will be none bigger than this. The Newcastle fans will come out for us. "You can label that at us we weren't ruthless, we didn't take the chances. It's not for a lack of trying. We were really strong mentally today. There was no hangover from the players."
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