A supercomputer’s updated simulation predicts that Manchester United will slump to ninth this season – their worst ever Premier League finish.
It’s also been predicted that Manchester City will break the record for most consecutive Premier League title wins, claiming their fourth successive crown next May. Arsenal would once again end up in second place, while Liverpool are expected to enjoy a much better campaign than last time out and finish third.
Tottenham would take the final top four spot, but with the new-look Champions League set to offer five English teams a place in the 2024-25 edition, who finishes fifth could be just as important. According to an Opta-led simulation from the Analyst, Newcastle would earn the final spot in Europe’s elite competition.
That’d see Aston Villa narrowly miss out, with Brighton and West Ham following in seventh and eighth respectively. Then would be United, who’ve endured their worst start to a season in 34 years, while Chelsea would sink all the way to 10th.
Erik ten Hag’s United have only won three of their opening eight games, leaving them 10th during the international break. The Red Devils have conceded 12 goals, with new £47million goalkeeper Andre Onana struggling to find his feet – and gloves – behind an injury-hit defence.
United legend Gary Neville had backed his former side to finish third before the campaign began, but he recently changed his prediction and reckons that Chelsea have a stronger chance of finishing in the Champions League spots. “Chelsea I think will probably be nearer to it,” Neville explained on his Sky Sports Podcast.
“If they could just go on a run because they have got some really talented young players, their age is a lot better than Manchester United’s squad.”
As for the title race, the ex- England international believes that Liverpool have a better shot at being in the hunt next spring than Tottenham, who are currently top of the table. “I think [Liverpool] could, they are more likely to than Spurs,” Neville claimed, while still backing his title favourites, Arsenal, and City to thrash it out at the summit.
“They played against a really good Brighton side, they’ve got an outstanding goalkeeper that I always think will keep them in a lot of football matches and they’ve got strikers who can score a lot of goals. The midfield is attacking, has it got the defensive stability of what we have seen here today [at Arsenal and Man City]?”
Full simulated Premier League table
1st: Manchester City
2nd: Arsenal
3rd: Liverpool
4th: Tottenham
5th:Newcastle United
6th: Aston Villa
7th: Brighton
8th: West Ham
9th:Manchester United
10th:Chelsea
11th:Crystal Palace
12th:Fulham
13th:Brentford
14th:Wolves
15th:Nottingham Forest
16th:Everton
17th:Burnley
18th:Bournemouth
19th:Luton Town
20th:Sheffield United
