‘I really do believe that’: Jamie Carragher now predicts which teams will fail to make the top-four this year

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Jamie Carragher has backed Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to make the top-four this season – but feels Newcastle United, Chelsea and Manchester United will fail to make it.

Arsenal are flying high at the moment and sit top of the Premier League, with Spurs five points behind them in third place.

Pep Guardiola’s City side have started in a typically strong fashion and are just two points behind the league leaders.

Manchester United and Chelsea sit just behind the surprise package of the season so far in Newcastle United, who currently make up the top-four.

Liverpool have been inconsistent in the league so far and find themselves in ninth place – eight points behind Eddie Howe’s side.

Despite their poor start to the season, Carragher is backing his old side to still qualify for the Champions League this season.

Carragher predicts top-four

Speaking to the Mirror, Carragher firmly believes that Arsenal and Spurs will be the sides closest to City this season. 

“I do think the north London clubs will both get in it now, I really do believe that, I have loved watching Arsenal they’ve been almost my favourite team to watch this season,” he said.

“I think Liverpool will get in there ahead of Chelsea and then the two north London clubs alongside Man City. But I think it will be a fight that will go right to the wire and as a Liverpool supporter if you offered me top four now I would bite your hand off because I think Liverpool are in a right fight for that, they could easily finish sixth.

“But I do think Liverpool will stick in there because I do think in that second half of the season we’ve got to see the Liverpool of old at some stage and when Liverpool get back to that it is too much for everybody else in this league, except Man City.

“Whether they ever get back to that consistency it’s going to be tough for them.”

It’s still very early days in terms of the race for the top-four but Liverpool have given their competitors a head start.

Arsenal and City look like the most-accomplished sides in the league at this moment in time, but a lot can change over the course of the season.

Spurs are yet to hit top gear this season while Erik Ten Hag’s men have dramatically improved after their poor start to the campaign.

Chelsea are likely to improve under Graham Potter too, while Newcastle’s early season form certainly can’t be ignored.

It’s set to be an intriguing battle for the top-four places in the league with seven sides looking like real contenders right now.