Robbie Savage says Aston Villa fans may disagree with what he has just said about them
Aston Villa are still firing on all fronts this season as Unai Emery still has two pieces of silverware possible on the table.
The Villans are still active in three competitions – chasing a top-five spot in the Premier League, battling for a semi-final spot in the UEFA Champions League and facing Preston North End in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Emery’s side are proving to be one of the most consistent sides in England and Europe, and have shown grit and determination in achieving their season goals.
Robbie Savage has given his take, admitting that not all Villa fans will agree with him.
Aston Villa must aim for Champions League glory
In a competition where Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are still active, Villa would not be considered as favourites to lift the Champions League.
They knocked out Club Brugge in the round of 16 to fix a clash with Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain in the final eight.
In the Premier League, Villa are just three points off the top five and four points off the top four. Likely, the fifth-placed team will also qualify for the Champions League based on English clubs’ coefficient in UEFA competitions.
| Opposition | Home/Away |
| Preston | Away |
| Brighton | Away |
| Nottingham Forest | Home |
| PSG | Away |
The Claret and Blue are too strong on paper for Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston in the FA Cup.
Savage feels that Villa should prioritise winning the Champions League over winning the FA Cup, but also admits that Villa fans may not agree with him.
Writing in the print edition of the Daily Mirror [29 March, Page 67], Savage said: “Winning the Champions League, finishing in the top five and winning the FA Cup – in that order.
“Villa fans may disagree with my pecking order – they may prefer the glory of lifting the first trophy in 29 years at Wembley, if not in Munich on May 31.
“But with Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins, Marco Asensio, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey at his disposal, Emery has every reason to go for it on all three fronts.”
Emery must rest Watkins vs Preston
Watkins was left out of England’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers by manager Thomas Tuchel, citing injury concerns.
The former Brentford man also missed Villa’s warm-weather training in Dubai and did not feature in the friendly match against Al Ain.
While Emery has been hopeful that Watkins’ injury is not serious, it is best not to risk the Englishman ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals.
The 29-year-old has been a key player for Emery’s squad, and if he is not fully fit, there is no point in risking him against Preston. Emery’s side are too strong for the Lancashire side on paper and should easily get through to the semis.
If progression to the next stage can be achieved without risking Watkins, Villa should rest him, or if he is absolutely needed, he should start on the bench.