Newcastle United still a contender for Premier League top four this season – John Barnes | OneFootball

Former Newcastle United player John Barnes, insists that his old club are still a contender to finish in the Premier League top four this season.

He sees Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal filling three of those places in the top four.

However, John Barnes thinking the fourth spot is a competition between the likes of Newcastle United, Man U, Villa, Tottenham and Chelsea.

Personally, I don’t think you can discount Brighton. Their huge spending this summer, the biggest net spend of any Premier League club in that window, plus they have already defeated three of those five that John Barnes named as contenders for top four – Newcastle United, Spurs and Man U.

This is the current Premier League table after the opening eight rounds of matches:

As history has shown, especially in recent seasons, impossible to take anything for granted at such an early stage.

This includes Newcastle United, with Eddie Howe showing so many times that he can put sizeable runs of wins together when getting his team properly firing.

John Barnes talking about the race for the final Premier League top four spot to Lucky Block, assuming Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal fill the other three places:

“I think the race for the final Champions League place is as interesting as the title race because you’ve got Aston Villa, Tottenham and Chelsea all with an eye on that, along with Newcastle and Man United, who are a little bit further away at the moment.

“I think any of those teams could grab it.

“It will come down to who can actually put a consistent run together.

“At this moment in time, Villa seems to be the team who are leading the pack and have the best chance.

“As much as Aston Villa are the most unfancied team for that four spot, and that’s even after qualifying for the Champions League last season, but the other clubs have more pedigree in recent years and some have better players, but they seem to be the ones who have got the most stability.

“There are good players and a good manager at Villa Park, I’ll make them favourites (for fourth).