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Aston Villa prediction by Super Computer highlights worrying issue for Unai Emery to navigate
Aston Villa face possibly the toughest run-in of any Premier League side over the last eight games of the season, and their chances of securing European football therefore still remain slim.
According to the Five-Thirty-Eight and their Super Computer, Villa will finish in 8th position in the Premier League this season with 57 points, and five points behind Brighton in 7th place.
The Seagulls are predicted to pick up the single Europa Conference League spot the Premier League offers as it stands, while Jurgen Klopp’s underperforming Liverpool outfit are expected to rise from their slump and secure 6th place at the end of the season.
Brentford are predicted to finish in 9th spot, three points behind Villa on 54 points, while Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are set to finish off the top ten with 51 points.
The prediction by the Super Computer does highlight a nagging issue that Emery will surely have at the back of his mind, despite the fabulous form his side are in.
Of Villa’s last eight games this season, seven come against the Premier League’s top-ten sides, including tricky away tests at Old Trafford, Anfield and home games against Spurs, Brighton and Newcastle.
Emery’s side currently occupies the much-coveted 6th spot in the Premier League after their 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest last weekend took them to 47 points, however, both Brighton and Liverpool hold games in hand.
Considering this, and the fact that the Super Computer has predicted Villa to only pick up ten points from their last eight games of the season, Emery faces an uphill struggle to secure Villa’s first taste of European football in over a decade.
The challenging task starts this weekend with a tough test at Villa Park against a Newcastle side who have won three consecutive Premier League games and scored nine goals in the process.
Eddie Howe’s side will arrive into the game with bags of confidence after registering five wins from six games since the start of March – with the one defeat coming against Manchester City.
The Magpies’ fearsome defence has registered the best numbers out of any Premier League side so far this season, conceding the least amount of goals (21 from 29 games) and recording a joint-high 13 clean sheets alongside Manchester United. [WhoScored]
However, if there is going to be any man for the job it will be Ollie Watkins, who himself has netted nine goals in his last 11 Premier League outings and is currently in the form of his life. [Transfermarkt]
Aston Villa are bang-in-form and as confident as ever, but the pressure is set to be turned up a notch in a series of crunch games against direct rivals.
It could turn out to be impossible in the end.
In other Aston Villa news, the club has been told to seal the re-signing of an expensive player amid transfer news.