Aston Villa pounced on dropped points by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United by beating Arsenal on Sunday.
Not only was this a huge day in the race for the Premier League title, but also for Champions League football.
The weekend started with Tottenham getting thrashed 4-0 by Newcastle United, with Micky van de Ven having a nightmare game.
Manchester United followed it up by doing what they normally do, concede chance after chance, get lucky and then walk away with a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. All to the benefit of Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.
Many would argue that Erik ten Hag’s side have no chance of Champions League football, even if fifth spot opens up.
But it seems as though Ollie Watkins still sees them as a threat, as his comments, after Villa’s win over Arsenal, alluded to.
The 28-year-old scored his side’s second goal of the game to take Unai Emery’s men 13 points clear of the seventh-placed side, who have a game in hand, and then proceeded to call out Troy Deeney.
Villa are also three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who also have a game in hand on the Midlands side.
But Watkins admitted ‘we saw the results of Tottenham and Manchester United’ and how that can have an effect on your performance, as he told Premier League Productions (14/04/24 at 6:45 pm).
Perhaps that’s Villa’s star man being too honest for his own good, but it proves that players are still aware of results around them, even if they state otherwise in interviews.
Aston Villa boost top-four hopes
“Firstly, we saw the results of Tottenham and Manchester United yesterday,” said Watkins.
“When they play before you, there is always that on your mind that you don’t want to let an opportunity slip. We are definitely thinking about Champions League football, that’s the aim. We have come so far since the manager has come in and that’s the aim for us to get there.”
Only Tottenham to worry about
Forget about Man United, or even sixth-placed Newcastle in that case. Those two, and those below them, are fighting for that sixth spot.
Villa’s worry should only be Spurs and trying to better them from now until the final ball is kicked.
Of course, Ange Postecoglou’s side don’t have European football to contend with.
By the time Spurs play again, the north London derby against Arsenal on April 28, Villa would have played three times, including in Europe.
But, most importantly, the team could be nine points clear, so this is the chance to put even more pressure on because the race for top four is in Villa’s hands.
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