Aston Villa’s chances of finishing in the top four have taken a dip recently, however, journalist John Townley has since weighed up what Unai Emery’s side now need to confirm a top-five finish.
It’s been a difficult few weeks for Aston Villa, who have struggled to maintain form ahead of the run-in to the end of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
Unai Emery’s side have secured only three points from a possible 15 in their previous five league games, seeing their position in the top-four take a slip as Tottenham leapfrogged the Midlands club.
Villa’s disappointing 3-3 draw with Brentford and Spurs’ 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest saw the table shift slightly, with the Lilywhites marginally overtaking the Villans on goal difference to claim fourth.
Spurs also have a game in hand on the Villans, making the task of finishing fourth even harder however, that doesn’t rule out the possibility of Villa qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
What Aston Villa need to finish above Manchester United in fifth place
Due to the change in format of the 2024/25 Champions League competition, English clubs are in with a strong chance of having an extra place rewarded, meaning that fifth would also confirm participation in the tournament.
With Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, West Ham and Aston Villa still competing in Europe, there’s a strong chance that the extra spot will be awarded to England based on the UEFA club coefficient table.
Following the deflating 3-3 draw with Brentford, journalist John Townley evaluated Villa’s chances of finishing ahead of Manchester United to claim fifth place.
The Villa expert explained that Emery’s side are two wins away from 66 points, which the Red Devils can only overtake if they claim another 18 points, which would count for six wins out of their seven remaining games.
Manchester United’s remaining fixtures:
- Bournemouth (A)
- Sheffield United (H)
- Burnley (H)
- Crystal Palace (A)
- Arsenal (H)
- Brighton (A)
While it wouldn’t be impossible for United to achieve such a feat, it’s highly unlikely based on the hope that Villa will win more than two of their remaining six Premier League games this season.
Aston Villa must improve their form to ensure a strong finish
The only issue that Villa may face is their inclusion in the Europa Conference League, seeing them partake in the gruelling Thursday-Sunday schedule.
On top of that, Emery must find a way to motivate his side to rebuild their form, with many issues for the Spaniard to quickly address in order to end the campaign on a high.
Villa are conceding far too many goals of late, having let in 49 goals so far, more than Everton who are flirting with relegation.
Given how much the Villans have improved and progressed this season, it would only be fair to see them end the thrilling 2023/24 campaign on a high, with six games remaining to make their Champions League dream a reality.
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