How a Champions League spot can secure Howe silverware this season
Posted on May 21st, 2023 | No Comments |
That’s the opinion of bookmakers.tv, who have crunched the numbers to compare each Premier League team’s actual performance with how betting sites expected them to perform at the start of the season. All 20 sides were given a points handicap, with Manchester City and Liverpool predictably starting on just zero and four points respectively, while Bournemouth and Fulham were both handed a head start in excess of 50 points.
Newcastle began on +31, with an expectation to finish the season in seventh place, just ahead of West Ham and Leicester. And with only two games left to go for the Magpies, there are five teams, and indeed managers, still in contention at the top of this alternative league table.
Arsenal and Fulham head the list, with 101 points apiece, but they can still be caught by Newcastle after a 4-1 vicory at home to Brighton with only relegation battling Leicester to face before signing off at struggling Chelsea.
It wouldn’t be the first time either Newcastle or Eddie Howe have collected the L.M.A. award, with Alan Pardew winning it in 2012 during his time at St James’ Park, whilst Howe’s achievements at Bournemouth were recognised in 2015.
A spokesman for bookmakers.tv said, “The League Managers Association usually acknowledges the efforts of the managers and teams that exceed expectations, rather than simply choosing the Premier League champions, so Eddie Howe may yet have something to celebrate, though we’re sure leading Newcastle back into Europe’s top competition for the first time in 20 years is his main aim.”
1st= Arsenal 81 (+20) = 101
1st= Fulham 51 (+50) = 101
3rd Brentford 53 (+46) = 99
4th= Newcastle 66 (+31) = 97
4th= Brighton 58 (+39) = 97
6th Bournemouth 39 (+56) = 95
7th Aston Villa 57 (+37) = 94
8th= Manchester City 85 (+0) = 85
8th= Manchester United 66 (+19) = 85
8th= Nottingham Forest 34 (+51) = 85
11th= Crystal Palace 43 (+41) = 84
11th= Wolves 40 (+44) = 84
13th Leeds 31 (+46) = 77
14th Everton 32 (+44) = 76
15th Tottenham 57 (+14) = 71
16th= West Ham 37 (+33) = 70
16th= Southampton 24 (+46) = 70
18th Liverpool 65 (+4) = 69
19th Leicester 30 (+36) = 66
20th Chelsea 43 (+15) = 58
Points correct on 16th May. Numbers in brackets are pre-season handicaps.
NUFCBlog Author: Frankly Various
Frankly Various has written 67 articles on this blog.