Credit: Imago

Samuel Fabre

Sun 22 March 2026 20:10, UK

Everton‘s chances of playing European football next season have increased after Saturday’s 3-0 win over Chelsea in the Premier League.

Beto’s brace and Iliman Ndiaye’s stunning strike ensured the Toffees secured their biggest win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, leaving the fans in delirium.

The result has moved the Toffees up to eighth place in the table, and fans are dreaming of qualifying for Europe for the first time since 2016-17.

They are now just three points off fifth-placed Liverpool, and David Moyes has done a fantastic job to get his side into this position after 31 games.

And Everton’s win over Chelsea means they are now predicted to be playing continental football next season.

What is the latest prediction for Everton’s European hopes?

Everton are on course to qualify for Europe, and the latest win over Liam Rosenior’s men has certainly solidified their credentials.

According to Opta Analyst, the Toffees are predicted to finish eighth in the table.

The supercomputer has given the Blues a 1.41 per cent chance of qualifying for the Champions League, a 5.97 per cent chance of entering the Europa League.

Before Saturday’s win at Hill Dickinson Stadium, their chances were at 0.31 for the Champions League and 1.51 for the Europa League.

England are almost guaranteed to have five places in next season’s Champions League, which means that finishing eighth would qualify a team for the Conference League.

The only way this wouldn’t happen is if a team that finishes outside of the top seven wins the FA Cup.

Although the Toffees are currently below Brentford on goal difference, there is no reason why they can’t aim for much higher.

Everton’s players have momentum on their side, and they’ll need to be at their best as they face a tough set of fixtures in the run-in.

How Everton’s defence can play a crucial part in their European ambitions

James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite and Michael Keane will all have a big role to play as the season reaches its climax.

With 11 clean sheets this season, only Arsenal and Man City have more than Everton, which highlights how solid they’ve been at the back.

With Jordan Pickford in goal, the Toffees know they have a world-class goalkeeper who can bail them out of tough situations.

But it’s up to the defenders, who have performed excellently, to grind out results when Everton take the lead.

The Toffees still have the likes of Liverpool and Man City to face, and their form over the last seven games will be crucial towards their European ambitions.