The 2024/25 Premier League season kicks off this weekend, as Aston Villa face an opening day challenge against West Ham.
Unai Emery will want the season to get off to a strong start against West Ham, as Aston Villa prepare to travel to the London Stadium on Saturday.
The Villans will be eager to put their pre-season results behind them, with plenty to play for over the 2024/25 campaign.
As the Champions League and the Premier League await the Midlands club, many have made predictions on how Emery’s side will fare in the year ahead.
- READ MORE: How Aston Villa could line up for Premier League opener v West Ham based on pre-season performances
Stan Collymore predicts where Aston Villa will finish in the 2024/25 Premier League table
Last season, Villa secured a fourth-place finish, beating the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United to qualify for the Champions League.
It was a memorable campaign for the Villans, who will be on the hunt for further success over the 2024/25 calendar.
The latest footballing figure to share a prediction on the upcoming season is former Villa striker Stan Collymore, who made a call that fans may not appreciate.
Taking to X to share how he believes the final table could look in May 2025, Collymore placed Villa down in eighth.
Ahead of Villa were Chelsea, Newcastle and Spurs, behind a top four of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
It’s certainly a harsh prediction considering Villa’s trajectory since Emery took charge in October 2022, with the assumption being that this term could reflect a year of development behind the scenes in the squad.
2024/25 Premier League finish is difficult to predict for Villa
After seeing the changes that Emery has made this summer, it’s difficult to imagine that Villa will return to domestic action at a similar level as last season.
The reason for this is the departures of Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby, who contributed to a decisive 39 goals in all competitions last term, be it through goals or assists.
Such change in the starting XI will require patience and a period of adaptation, as seen in pre-season as Villa lost four of their seven friendlies over the summer.
It will be an interesting campaign for the Midlands club, who will be excited to challenge in the Champions League and eager to repeat the highs of the 2023/24 calendar with their new-look squad.
