Who will finish top four in Premier League 2024/25? Betting odds and predictions for Champions League places

The Premier League season is fast approaching, and the battle for the coveted top four places will be as fierce as ever in season 2024-25.

With Manchester City and Arsenal expected to fight it out for the title, a clutch of teams are set to clash for the remaining places in the top four and the guaranteed Champions League qualification that comes along with it.

Liverpool were able to return to the top four in Jurgen Klopp's final season and will hope for more of the same under Arne Slot, whilst Aston Villa under Unai Emery will look to prove their fourth-place finish last season was no fluke.

Both will meet fierce resistance from a Tottenham side led by Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, as well as Newcastle, Manchester United and Chelsea, who are all looking to rebound from a disappointing last season in the league.

The Sporting News looks at which teams are the favourites to finish in the top four in the upcoming Premier League season.

MORE: Complete 2024-25 Premier League schedule | Which teams are in the 2024-25 Premier League?

Who will finish in top four of Premier League? Betting odds

Man City and Arsenal are highly likely to be involved in a title shootout in the top two places, meaning there is a good chance six teams will be fighting it out for the other two places in the top four.

Despite being under new management, Liverpool are expected to be one of these teams, being priced at 1.53 to finish in the top four, with the core of their squad remaining from last season.

Perhaps surprisingly Chelsea, are ranked as the next most likely team to finish in a Champions League place despite changing managers (again) and having off-field issues in the transfer market and Enzo Fernandez's racism scandal; the Blues are priced at 2.50 to finish in the top four.

Of the other likely candidates, Man United and Tottenham are level at 2.60, with Newcastle and Aston Villa further back, with bookmakers thinking Champions League football will make life too difficult in the league for the latter.

Odds via Sportsbet and updated as of August 16, 2024.

2024-25 Premier League top four prediction

• The Sporting News prediction: Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Tottenham

Despite any potential growing pains under Arne Slot, Liverpool should have far too much quality to have any issues making the top four again, but the race for the final top-four place should be much more interesting, and we are giving the advantage to Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham!

Despite what the betting markets say, Chelsea are still in too much disarray to realistically challenge for a top-four berth, arguably having a weaker manager and squad than last season. Man United, meanwhile, are already battling an injury crisis, and faith in Erik ten Hag is far from strong.

We feel it will be a battle between Aston Villa and Tottenham again, and whilst the North London side fell just short last season partly due to a poor run at the end of the campaign, a more settled pre-season and some shrewd signings should just give them an edge over an Aston Villa side having to battle in the Champions League for the first time in more than 20 years.

Newcastle could be there or thereabouts too. Their 2023-24 season was wrecked by injuries, but there is a feeling their last campaign was regression to the norm after a stellar season in 2022-23.

There will barely be anything in it, with the race most likely going to the final day, but we are tipping Big Ange to return Tottenham to the bright lights of the Champions League.

Premier League top four finishers since 1992

It may come as a surprise to fans, but until the 2001-02 season, not every team in the top four earned a place in the Champions League.

In the first-ever season of the Premier League, only champions Man United earned qualification to the Champions League.

However beginning in 1996-97, rule changes began where more and more teams earned qualification to the Champions League, leading to the current rules where the top four teams earn automatic qualification to the Champions League.

UEFA introduced a new rule last season where a country could get a fifth Champions League berth if their teams performed well enough in Europe, but this reward went to Italy and Spain instead.

Where to watch the Premier League in Australia

The only place fans in Australia can watch the Premier League is on Optus Sport.

The streaming service will host every match of the 2024-25 season live and on-demand, whilst also having pre-match and post-match analysis and a host of other shows covering all the angles of the Premier League.

If you are not a customer or do not have access to Optus Sport in your location, you can use NordVPN; get up to 69% off NordVPN’s 2-year plans + 3 months extra.

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