Aston Villa are gearing up for a historical Premier League season where they will make a return to the Champions League.
Unai Emery’s side will travel to London to take on West Ham United for their Premier League opener on Saturday.
But it’s the Champions League campaign the Villa fans are looking forward to the most and coming up against some of the best teams in the world.
Last season, Emery guided Aston Villa to a seventh-placed finish and a return to Europe. Many thought they would struggle and probably not finish higher because of the midweek matches.
But Stephen Warnock wasn’t in that camp, and before a ball was kicked, he thought they would finish fourth and that’s exactly what happened.
And now, the former left-back, who helped Villa to several top-six finishes, has made a fresh prediction with the new campaign days away.
Warnock hasn’t stepped back and claimed that the Midlands side will finish in the top four again, as he told The Football Show on Sky Sports.
He highlighted the team’s summer transfers and how they have done ‘really good business’.
Amadou Onana was Villa’s biggest transfer purchase, but on the other end, Douglas Luiz sent an emotional goodbye to Villa and joined Juventus.
Not forgetting that Moussa Diaby also left Villa and joined the Saudi Pro League, so it will be interesting to see how they cope with all of that.
Where will Aston Villa finish ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season?
“I have gone with Manchester City again to win the league,” said Warnock. “This time I have gone for Liverpool to finish above Arsenal.
“I still think Villa will finish in the top four. Yes (even with Champions League commitments) because of the strength in depth that they have got over the summer. I think they have done really good business in the transfer window. I still think they will do a little bit more as well.”
Aston Villa’s opening clash at West Ham United
This is going to be really tough on paper because West Ham have probably done the best business of the transfer window so far.
Roy Keane has shared his prediction on Villa’s clash at West Ham, with the London club also having a new manager in the dugout in Emery’s old mate, Julen Lopetegui.
READ MORE: John McGinn shares how he truly felt when Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins scored at Euro 2024
Everyone remembers Villa getting smashed by Newcastle on the opening day of the previous campaign, so don’t take what happens at the London Stadium too seriously.
