Former Aston Villa goalkeeper David James has shared his opinion on his ex-club’s chances in the race for the top four against Spurs and Manchester United.
At the start of the season, not many would have predicted that Aston Villa would be sitting in 4th place with just 13 games to go in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
Unai Emery has installed a new level of belief at Villa Park, with Champions League football now a real possibility for the Midlands club.
From injury woes to trialling his best XI, the Spaniard has overcome most of the hurdles his side have been presented with this term, keeping the squad progressing after their remarkable 7th place finish last season.
Now, just 13 games stand between the Villans and a spot to compete among Europe’s elite but like Villa, Spurs and Manchester United will not be ruled out of the race without a fight.
Who David James thinks will win the race for the top four
Speaking in an interview with GGrecon, former Villa shot-stopper David James shared his prediction on who will have claimed 4th place come May.
“I have to be biased and say Aston Villa.”
“I think Aston Villa have had their wobble. Tottenham are playing better football this season under Ange Postecoglou, however, what’s interesting with Ange is that he’s being linked with the Liverpool job already and that could be disturbing for some of the Spurs players.”
“I think Aston Villa are in a better position with Unai Emery for that reason.”
The former England international credited a lot of Villa’s success this season to Ollie Watkins, who is just seven goals away from being the club’s first-ever player to reach the 20-goal milestone in the Premier League.
The final 13 games of the season will be critical for Aston Villa for many reasons
Not only will a top four finish be firmly in Villa’s sights, but gaining a spot in the Champions League could also be critical for a host of reasons.
The most prominent reason is the aim to retain key players, with the likes of Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins’ stance at the club immediately strengthened by the inclusion of European football next term.
As well as keeping the players on the right path, there has been speculation over the future of Emery this week, with German publication Kicker revealing that the Spaniard is a candidate for the Bayern Munich job.
It’s unlikely that the 52-year-old would leave the Villans at this point in his project, with the primary motivation to claim a Champions League spot being to signify the progression made in the Midlands over the past year and a half.
