When it comes to numbers, Villa could win out and still be overcome in the improbable race for Europe. Villa sit sixth, but Brighton obviously have two games in hand and are just one point behind. So, all Villa can do is go out one match at a time and claw for every point. And it’s a very interesting run-in.
Of all the teams in the relegation scrap, Forest are the one I want to stay up. Have no idea what’s about to happen, but if Villa were to lose, I wouldn’t begrudge Forest those crucial three points. Which is why I’m not down the pub watching with my Forest mate.
This is the sort of fixture that can say a lot or not much. Bottom line, it’s about whether looking up and digging in to keep pace or move higher mean more to Villa than do perilous straits to Leicester.
Villa head to Stamford Bridge level on points with Chelsea. The simplest way of looking at it from a Villa perspective is do the squad have enough belief to edge past the hosts into the top half?
Bournemouth will understandably have a bit of desperation in them and Villa’s job is to keep that at arm’s length. Ideally, turn it against them. But three points would go a very long way for the Cherries given the brutal congestion below Villa’s 35 points. Three for Villa could see us finish the weekend above Chelsea, though that’s asking a lot of Everton.
