Gary Neville weighs in on West Ham United’s top five chances to qualify for UEFA’s new Champions League.
West Ham have made a good start to the new season, sitting seventh in the Premier League table as the quarter-way mark approaches.
The Hammers drew 2-2 with Newcastle on Sunday, are in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, and lead their Europa League group with two victories from two games.
This season, West Ham has only lost to champions Manchester City and contenders Liverpool in all competitions.
For the first time in West Ham’s 128-year history, David Moyes’ team is playing in Europe for a third consecutive season.
Radical improvements generally result in an extra Premier League spot at Europe’s top table – beginning this season – but can they make it four in a row and even make the move up to the Champions League?
In the 2020-21 season, the Hammers lost out on top four and Champions League qualification by a single point. Instead, West Ham had to settle with a place in the Europa League.
However, Moyes guided his team to the semi-finals the next season, and they continued to battle for Champions League slots on the domestic front as well. West Ham spent more time in the top four than Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal combined, but fell barely short. After missing out on a Europa League spot on the final day, the Hammers were relegated to the Europa Conference League.
But that didn’t turn out too awful, did it? West Ham won the competition in June, ending a 43-year major trophy drought.
The Hammers would qualify for the Champions League if they won the Europa League this season.
But, after a great start, can West Ham make it through the league?
The good news for the Premier League and teams like West Ham is that it has finished in the top two in six of the last seven seasons.
So, even if English teams win both the Europa League and the Champions League, fifth place is quite likely to be rewarded with Champions League football this season.
This will provide a major incentive for clubs like West Ham, especially with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea struggling early on.
Gary Neville has now given his opinion on West Ham’s top five chances of qualifying for the new-look Champions League.
If I had to rewrite history, I’d say Arsenal, City, then Liverpool, Tottenham, then Chelsea or Newcastle in fifth place.
“I’m not changing my predictions, but Man United are a lot worse than I thought.” Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are better than I expected.”
