Newcastle v Leicester: Magpies to confirm top four finish in 7/2 Bet Builder

• Magpies need one point to confirm top four finish

• Foxes in dire form and in danger of relegation

• Shots, goals and an easy home win fancied

Magpies back in the Champions League

It's been 20 years since Newcastle United last played Champions League football, but next season they'll return to Europe's elite club competition courtesy of a top four finish in the Premier League.

True, it's not mathematically confirmed yet, but following Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday Jurgen Klopp's men can only get to 69 points. That's the tally Newcastle are currently on, with a superior goal difference (+35 v +28) and two games still to play.

Officially, Eddie Howe's men just need a single point from their two remaining games, and given their current form - 9 wins in 12 matches - it seems a forgone conclusion that they'll get at least that.

Foxes on brink of dropping to Championship

Just seven years after winning the Premier League title Leicester City are on the brink of relegation following a run of just one win in their last 14 matches.

What is absolutely certain at this stage is that Dean Smith's men must win at least one of their two remaining games to have any chance of avoiding the drop. If Everton win at home to Bournemouhh next Sunday then Leicester will need to win both of their remaining games.

And having conceded eight goals in their last two defeats, it's no surprise given their predicament - and perhaps even generous - that the Foxes can be backed at 1.152/13 in the Betfair Exchange's Relegation market.

Newcastle a fair price at 1.392/5

For those wanting a serious bet on this game, the saving grace was Liverpool's late equaliser against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Without that goal, Howe's men would already have their top four finish confirmed and their mindset for Monday night's home game against Leicester could have been completely different to what it will now be.

With Newcastle needing a point to confirm their place in next season's Champions League they'll be fully focussed on this game, and on current form, odds of 1.392/5 about a home win is more than fair.

The Magpies are very strong at St James' Park - their only defeats this season were to Arsenal and Liverpool - where they've won five of their last six games, scoring 17 goals in the process.

In contrast, Leicester's away form is poor. They've failed to win any of their last seven on the road, and conceding 14 goals in their last five away defeats means it's extremely hard to recommend them taking all three points at 8.27/1. The Draw can be backed at 6.25/1.

Double your money handicap bet appeals

Newcastle have a few injury concerns with late fitness tests planned for Kieran Trippier, Joelinton and Jacob Murphy, while Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock are likely to miss the remainder of the season.

But it's testament to how strong Newcastle's squad now is that even with some absentees, Howe will still be able to field the likes of Bruno Guimares, Miguel Almiron, Anthony Gordon, Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak as his goal-getters.

And if a couple of those fitness tests are passed then the Magpies will line-up very strong, making Newcastle -1 on the handicap at 2.0621/20 a very appealing bet.

Six of Newcastle's last seven wins have been achieved by at least a two-goal margin - including their last four victories on home soil - and with Leicester conceding 11 in their last three defeats (all by at least two goals), I'd have been happy to take around 1.910/11 about the -1 goal handicap win.

Shots and goals backed in 7/2 Bet Builder

Howe's man have registered at least eight shots on target in four of their last six wins, and they even managed five shots on target in a disappointing home defeat to Arsenal, so with leaky Leicester in town, it's not hard to envisage Newcastle having eight or more shots on target on Monday night.

With plenty of shots anticpiated, Over 2.5 Goals has a very good chance of landing in a home win, so to conclude a near 7/2 Bet Builder, we'll add Callum Wilson to score or assist.

The Magpies striker has scored more goals than any player in the Premier League since the start of April (11 goals in 10 games) with a few assists to boot, he is virtually guaranteed to start, and he will also be on penalty-taking duties.