Paul Merson shares new Aston Villa ultimatum v Brentford after what he has seen
Aston Villa return to Premier League action with a crucial trip to Brentford on Saturday.
Unai Emery has seen league form take a dip of late, which has left the Villans sitting 10th in the table.
However, an FA Cup win over Cardiff before a huge 3-1 victory against Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie has changed that.
Paul Merson believes everything and more may be riding on the game against the Bees, though.
Merson shares Aston Villa ultimatum
Although Aston Villa minds may be focused on the second leg of their Champions League tie, they cannot afford to neglect the Premier League as they look to secure European football again.
A trip to Brentford lies ahead on Saturday (8 March) and with one place separating the two teams in the Premier League table, Emery will know that three points are important.
The Bees sit four points behind the Villans in the table, meaning if they are victorious, their minds may cast towards a top-six finish.
Villa have picked up just one win in their last five top-flight games and Merson has shared an ultimatum for the game at the Gtech Community Stadium.
| Crystal Palace v Aston Villa | 4-1 |
| Aston Villa v Chelsea | 2-1 |
| Aston Villa v Liverpool | 2-2 |
| Aston Villa v Ipswich Town | 1-1 |
| Wolves v Aston Villa | 2-0 |
Speaking to Sports Keeda (6 March), Merson said: “I think Aston Villa will have one eye on the Champions League now. But thanks to their convincing win in the first leg against Club Brugge, they can afford to have a go in this game against Brentford.
“If Villa don’t win their weekend, they won’t finish in the top four. The fixtures are not very kind to them from here on and missing out on three points against Brentford could be the end of their aspirations of finishing in a Champions League spot.
“Villa are getting the best out of these players and I think they will win here. A draw is an absolute waste of time for both teams, this will be an entertaining game. Prediction: Brentford 1-2 Aston Villa.”
Aston Villa victory can provide massive boost
As Merson says, Villa have to go into this game and take all three points. Whether it will prove to be as crucial as he suggests will be seen, but even so, a win could really push Emery’s side on.
Last time out in Premier League action, the Villans crashed to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, looking worlds away from the levels you would expect from them this season.
Emery’s side were able to bounce back from this, progressing through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup before a massive 3-1 win against Club Brugge on Tuesday (4 March).
Not only does this mean that the Villans should come into this game with plenty of momentum, but a victory here to carry on that improved form could also impact the second leg of their Champions League tie.
Villa can’t get complacent but if they go into their home tie against Brugge with another win under their belt on the way, confidence will surely be high to spur them on to back up their initial performance.
Emery demands a win in every game, so there are no worries there.