Former PL Star Puts Percentage Chance On Newcastle United Making Champions League | OneFootball

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Former Premier League midfielder Don Hutchison has told Newcastle United that they need to ride the wave because of their tough upcoming fixtures, as he put a percentage chance on the Magpies qualifying for the Champions League.

Eddie Howe’s men have experienced an excellent campaign so far, with the club ending their 70-year trophy drought by lifting the EFL Cup just before the international break last month.

Despite experiencing two quiet transfer windows this term, they have picked up the pace in recent weeks to try to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Newcastle have now won three of their last four matches and are entering the business end of the season in fine form with their star-striker Alexander Isak already netting 20 goals in the league.

Hutchison highlighted that Howe’s men have a very difficult fixture list ahead of them and is clear that the Magpies must overcome that to finish inside the top four.

Newcastle registered a win against Brentford on Wednesday night, which Hutchison stressed was a crucial win and insisted that the Magpies now have a 25 per cent of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Hutchison said on ESPN FC (50:24): “It is about 25 per cent because there are four teams all the way down to Villa, who can all make top five.

“So I think Newcastle are in it, the fixtures are difficult, they have just got to ride the wave.

“I think the victory against Brentford last night after the Carabao Cup final was unbelievably important because they could not afford to sort of drop points, it would just sort of deflate them a little bit.

“That was a big win.

“Yes why not [them making the Champions League], but I would say about 25 per cent [chance it happens].”

The Magpies will be back in action on Monday as 19th-placed Leicester City welcome them to the King Power Stadium.

Having already defeated the Foxes 4-0 earlier this season in December, Newcastle will be hopeful of picking up three points again to continue their push to finish inside the top four at the end of the Premier League campaign.