Aston Villa, with Tielemans among their leaders, will be fired up for today’s showdown. — Reuters
TWO teams bang-on form clash in a colossal fixture that could go some way to determining just how the two final spots for Champions League qualification pan out.
Aston Villa, coming off their best run in Europe’s elite cup competition in 42 years, today play host to Newcastle United – a club with an absent manager but still managed to score nine goals in their last two Premier League games.
Brimming with confidence, both will be expecting nothing short of a victory at Villa Park in the weekend’s top billing.
With Liverpool just about having secured the title, second-placed Arsenal are now looking over their shoulder despite their own wonderful midweek win in the Champions League – conquerors of Real Madrid.
The Gunners are 13 points adrift of Arne Slot’s Liverpool juggernaut and a mere four ahead of third-placed Newcastle.
Jason Tindall, who stepped up to the plate rather nicely while Eddie Howe recovers from pneumonia in hospital, knows that a win today would stretch their margin of advantage to eight points ahead of Villa.
The latter have 54 points in seventh place and are one of five battling it out for three Champions League spots – without counting Liverpool and Arsenal.
England will be allocated five places in the Champions League next season, and Newcastle (59 points), Nottingham Forest (57), Manchester City (55), Chelsea (54) and Aston Villa (54) will all be bent on jumping on that bandwagon.
Led by captain Bruno Guimaraes, shining star Sandro Tonali and goal poacher Alexander Isak, and supported supremely by a string of others, including Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes and Dan Burn, the Magpies are riding the crest of the wave following their triumph in the Carabao League Cup last month.
Sandro Tonali has been outstanding for Newcastle Unitedthis season. — Reuters
That was their first piece of silverware in seven decades. It’s something they’re still enjoying and bragging about.
Villa, who are a team playing their best football in a long time, reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League only to be eliminated midweek by Paris St Germain.
But even then, they bowed out of the tournament with their spirits lifted to new levels, and Unai Emery immediately urged his side to get back into their tournament next season.
Ollie Watkins up front, skipper John McGinn and Youri Tielemans in midfield, along with Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne at the back, and loanee Marcus Rashford will bear the most responsibility for seeing that through.
It is not beyond them to pull it off, and if they do, it will be regarded as a fine accomplishment indeed.
However, with both Villa and Newcastle firmly committed to advancing closer to Champions League qualification, we anticipate a fiercely contested match that may result in some fireworks before the day concludes.
Man City’s trip to Everton is also one that has the potential to burn a few fuses.
Everton, after David Moyes’ return to Goodison Park in January, are a resurgent side – losing only once in 13 games since.
But Man City are also on a revival of some sort, and they will be just as keen to keep their hopes alive of a Champions League slot in fifth place.
Pep Guardiola knows that he just needs to get to the end of the season without any further setbacks and he’ll be in a good spot to start rebuilding his side again. It would be one that should have Rodri back next season – if not before.
Chelsea’s visit to Fulham in a London derby will also command much interest, as the Blues continue their bid for a Champions League berth from sixth place.
