Newcastle United know that two victories from their final three fixtures will guarantee a top-four finish and mark a first foray into European football for a decade. The Magpies could effectively ensure a final-day visit to Chelsea is all but a dead rubber with successive home victories over Brighton and Leicester City.
Liverpool have setup a potentially uncomfortable finish to the season with a run of seven straight victories, including a comfortable away win at Leicester on Monday night. Jurgen Klopp has consistently downplayed the Reds' prospects of qualifying for the Champions League throughout the run, insisting it is still not 'likely' despite closing the gap to a single point.
Eddie Howe has dismissed talk of being 'hunted' by Liverpool, although he admitted last season's FA Cup and Carabao Cup winners always had the capacity to rack up a run of wins. Six points would be enough to mathematically guarantee that the Reds' late rally ends in vain, but there is also another scenario which could see Newcastle see off a perfect finish to the season for Liverpool without picking up two wins.
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Klopp's side could finish the season with a maximum of 71 points if they beat both Aston Villa and Southampton in their final two outings. To at least match this tally, Newcastle would need to pick up five points from their last three matches following their draw at Leeds United.
This means that as long as the Magpies avoid defeat in their encounters with Brighton, Chelsea, and Leicester while picking up a single victory along the way, they could still seal a top-four finish. As it stands, Newcastle hold a four-goal cushion when it comes to goal difference which would be used to settle the rankings if the sides finish level on points.
Liverpool could of course close this deficit in picking up maximum points from their last two games. Klopp's side have scored seven more goals than Newcastle in the Premier League this season, which means they would pip the Magpies at the post if the sides remarkably finish level on both points and goal difference.
Brighton are the only other side who could still claim a top-four place ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United or Newcastle United. However, by avoiding defeat at St James' Park on Thursday night, Newcastle would lower the Seagulls' prospective maximum points return to a total of 68.
Two more victories should be the mantra for Newcastle at this point, with Howe recently displaying the club's newfound ruthless streak when he dismissed a pre-match suggestion of a draw with Tottenham being a good result. However, there is also a scenario where Liverpool can be denied with just a single win, even if the Reds finish the season with nine straight wins.
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