Newcastle United put ‘nail in the coffin’ of Liverpool’s Champions League hopes - according to former striker

Wins for Manchester United and Liverpool against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend means the race for Champions League qualification seems to be between three sides. Newcastle’s come from behind victory against Southampton on Sunday kept the pressure on the teams around them as they head into the final stretch of the campaign.

The Magpies currently sit in 3rd place and have a nine-point cushion over Liverpool in 5th place. Eddie Howe’s side are just five games away from potentially qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in two decades and Owen believes that they will be able to hold off the challenge from Liverpool and finish in the top-four, claiming their win over the Saints on Sunday is the ‘nail in the coffin’ for Liverpool’s respective top-four hopes.

‘’I think the nail is in the coffin for all the teams that are chasing,” Owen told Premier League Productions. “Liverpool would have been watching that thinking if we beat Tottenham we can chase them down.

‘’But with Newcastle and Manchester United winning, I think that might seal the deal.’’

Newcastle have five games left to play this season, beginning with a huge clash at St James’ Park against Arsenal on Sunday. However, the Magpies could potentially begin that game just three points above Liverpool should Jurgen Klopp’s side defeat Fulham and Brentford on Wednesday night and Saturday evening respectively.