Sitting fourth in the table in April and with a European quarter-final in sight; the season finale promises to be an exciting one with more twists along the way. Following a sacrificial team selection against Manchester City, Villa welcome Brentford to Villa Park this weekend hoping to avoid getting stung. Here are the Five Reasons to Be Cheerful as Villans this week:
Home Comforts
The win against fellow midlanders Wolves was a much-needed return to winning ways at Villa Park especially following on from the comprehensive victory against Ajax. Villa’s home form in 2023 was a major reason for the surge up the table and if a top four finish is become a reality then the players needs to regain the knack for winning at home.
Getting results in home games against Brentford, Bournemouth and Chelsea, will ultimately go along way in determining where Villa end up at the end of the season.
Fergie Time
While the defeat to Manchester City was a low point in the week, the other Manchester club delivered an amusing away defeat to mid-table Chelsea. Cole Palmer completed his hat-trick in ‘Fergie time’ and kept United 11 points from fifth spot. With games running out, it seems as though Villa and Spurs will now shoot-out for fourth spot and hope that Co-Efficient FC provides the results needed for assured Champions League football next season.
Squad Depth
The marked improvement offensively from both Nicolò Zaniolo and Jhon Durán in the last two matches provides competition as Villa head into a packed final quarter of the season. With a tricky tie against Lille and an intense Premier League finish ahead, Villa will need the likes of Zaniolo and Durán to step up and make a difference. While Zaniolo was criticised for his defensive work at Manchester City, both him and Durán are occupying opposition defenders and playing with more confidence on the ball. The need for them to contribute is made more severe by the news that Jacob Ramsey is now out for the season.
Clean Sheet
The clean sheet against Wolves was much-welcomed, as it was the first one since the 5-0 drubbing of Sheffield United on 3 February. Clean sheets were a major reason for Villa’s run-in success last season and Emery will be hoping that with defenders returning to fitness, Villa can find some defensive stability again. Earlier in the season, Diego Carlos and Clément Lenglet were lacking minutes and felt like back-up options, however, with the recent injuries to Torres and Konsa, Villa’s defensive options all have games under their belt and more familiarity playing alongside one another.
Bee-Keeping
While injuries forced his hand in some instances, there was definitely a sense that Emery’s lineup at the Etihad was chosen with an eye on the upcoming home game against Brentford. Securing a win against the Bees would not only achieve a rare season double over one of Villa’s traditional bogey teams but also ramp up the pressure on Tottenham to secure a victory against an unpredictable Nottingham Forest side.
Villa’s last encounter with Brentford was intense, culminating in the dismissal of Boubacar Kamara and his absence during a crucial period over Christmas. Therefore, the Villa players will hopefully be fired up from the start, aiming to replicate last season’s quick start against Thomas Frank’s team.
UTV
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