The 2024-25 Premier League season is only just nearing the halfway point - but the data experts are already predicting how the final table will shape up.
Newcastle United, like a number of their top-flight rivals, have struggled for consistency this campaign but the last week may prove to be a turning point.
After a 4-2 defeat at Brentford attracted a heavy amount of criticism, Eddie Howe’s side have responded emphatically with three straight wins against Leicester City, Brentford and Ipswich Town.
United beat Leicester and Ipswich 4-0 to move back into the top half of the league table, two points off the top five while a 3-1 victory over Brentford secured a place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for a second time in three years.
In a world where statistics dominate the football agenda, British gurus Opta emerged as the leading stat geeks in an increasingly crowded field. An official Premier League partnership - as well as the internet explosion - saw them become a trusted source for everything you never needed to know about the beautiful game.
Now an Opta-powered supercomputer has predicted how the league table will pan out come May:
9. Brentford (13th)
Opta predicted points total: 48 | Getty Images
10. Manchester United (12th)
Opta predicted points total: 52 | Getty Images
11. Brighton & Hove Albion (11th)
Opta predicted points total: 53 | Getty Images
12. Tottenham Hotspur (10th)
Opta predicted points total: 55 | Getty Images