Aston Villa top-four verdict shared by Don Goodman as Manchester United ruled out of race
Don Goodman expects Aston Villa and Tottenham to be engaged in a two-team shootout for fourth place, with Manchester United not a serious contender.
Villa were on the end of a 4-0 thumping on home soil against Tottenham on Sunday (10 March) in a potentially pivotal contest.
That loss means Spurs are just two points behind with a game in hand, while United have closed the gap to eight points after beating Everton.
In the view of Goodman, though, there is no chance of United finishing above either Villa or Tottenham in the race for Champions League football.
“I look at Manchester United’s performances and I haven’t seen a team playing games well enough, dominating the ball well enough, to keep a winning run going,” he told Villa News.
“I’ve been underwhelmed by them. I haven’t ever been blown over by Manchester United’s performances the whole season.”
Manchester United struggling for consistency in Premier League
Goodman added: “Ironically, their best performance of the season came in the second half against Aston Villa on Boxing Day when they were incredible. That’s the only time they have hit those levels.
“If you want to get in the top four and finish above Spurs and Aston Villa, you have to hit those levels on a much more consistent basis.
“If you’re not the best teams in games of football, which they haven’t been despite going on a winning run before the Manchester City loss, eventually you’ll stop winning.
“They’ve got a mountain to climb and I don’t see them being anywhere near the fourth best team in the Premier League.”
Aston Villa and Tottenham in Champions League contention
Villa could have ended the weekend eight points better off than Tottenham; instead the gap is now just two points and their fate is no longer in their own hands.
Failing to perform in the pressure games is something that has been highlighted a lot on the back of the defeat to Spurs, but it is a rather harsh view.
Ultimately, with 10 games of their campaign to go, Villa have been the fourth-most consistent side in the division – or possibly fifth if Spurs were to win their game in hand.
To hold their own for as long as they have takes some doing, and the defeat to Tottenham is not as catastrophic as it has been made out to be.
Villa must simply pick themselves up and overcome an inconsistent West Ham side next week – a few days on from the Ajax second leg – before regrouping after the international break.
With fifth place potentially enough for a Champions League spot, there is an awful lot to remain excited about as we approach the business end of the campaign.
In other Aston Villa news, Don Goodman has also made an “unthinkable” claim regarding Unai Emery.
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