{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Aston Villa to miss out on millions as BBC Sport pundit shares worrying prediction
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Aston Villa look likely to miss out on the millions that qualifying for European football would bring them, according to Alan Hutton.
After losing 1-0 at Wolves at the weekend, Unai Emery’s side dropped three points behind sixth-placed Tottenham while they remain just one point behind Brighton, who have two games in hand and are in seventh.
Aston Villa’s final three matches are tough too as they face the three teams immediately above them in the Premier League – Liverpool, Spurs and Brighton.
The Sun reported on 15 September, 2022 that qualifying for the Europa League’s group stages last season saw clubs win £3.3million in prize money. Finishing sixth could mean qualification for the group stages of this competition.
Finishing sixth or seventh could result in a spot in the Europa Conference League and reaching the group stages there equals a prize of £2.5million [Sporting News].
Hutton doesn’t seem to think it’s likely Villa will be banking that cash but he’s just delighted to see how Emery’s been able to even get the club in this position with three games to go.
Speaking to Villa News, the former right-back said: “I think they’re still within reach of Tottenham with three games left. But they still have to play Tottenham, Liverpool and then Brighton on the last day of the season. It’s not easy, they’re going to have to win them all if they’re going to make that final push. It’s going to be difficult.
“No matter where they finish, whether it’s in a European place or just outside, what they’ve done since the new manager came in has been incredible.
“From being in the bottom half and looking over your shoulder to being up there thinking of Europe, it’s such a turnaround.
“Villa will only get stronger under the manager so they can be more than happy with what they’ve done this season.”
In other Aston Villa news, Emery could get rid of this player who he started at Wolves last week.