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Cracks may begin to show as Aston Villa push for Europe in Premier League - Ty Bracey
Ty Bracey believes that cracks may begin to show among the direct rivals of Aston Villa as the fight for European football intensifies after the international break.
Since Unai Emery’s arrival at Villa Park, the club have made swift progress up the Premier League table, and although currently sitting in 11th position, they remain a mere four points off Liverpool in 6th place.
Among Villa’s closing 11 games of the season are tough trips to Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool – all of whom remain in the hunt for European football – as well as home matches against Brighton and Fulham.
However, considering that only Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United have taken more points than Aston Villa since Emery’s arrival in October, a late push for some prestigious European football is still very much on the cards.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Aston Villa influencer Ty Bracey admitted that he would be happy with a top-ten finish, a status that the club are yet to secure since promotion in 2019, but that a push for European football would be the cherry on top.
“Of course, European football is what we would all like and I think it is very possible,” he said. “But you have got some teams in there who are underachieving and some teams there who are overachieving.
“You’ve got Brighton, Brentford and Fulham around there, and fair play to them for having such successful seasons, but cracks do show eventually.
“We are playing some great football under Emery, and I would be happy with anything in the top ten, and I think that would represent a successful season considering where we were under Gerrard.
“I don’t think we are expected to make it into that Europa Conference League spot, but if we did, I would be over the moon.
“It’s European football at the end of the day.”
If Emery’s side harbour any realistic ambitions of playing European football next season, it must start with a strong performance against Chelsea this weekend.
The Villans travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening (1 April) and face Graham Potter’s side, who currently sit just level on points in the Premier League table.
Three points in the capital could be a huge psychological boost for Aston Villa and further stake their claims as serious contenders for European football this season.
In other Aston Villa news, the club has been tipped to sign a new striker to aid their bid to return to European football.