Paul Merson makes ‘Huge’ Aston Villa prediction with Champions League on line
Aston Villa return to Premier League action with a trip to Brighton on Wednesday night.
Unai Emery’s side saw off Preston 3-0 on Sunday to advance to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
However, the Villans will have to be on top form once again at Brighton on 2 April, with a place in the top five still achievable for Champions League football.
Paul Merson casts Champions League verdict
Emery’s side have done excellently this term. In addition to their FA Cup and Premier League successes, they are also in the Champions League quarter-finals.
While that means there is plenty to be excited about in the West Midlands in the final run of the season, there is also a jam-packed schedule for Villa to manage.
Having recruited in the winter transfer window with the likes of Marcus Rashford coming into the Midlands, Emery does have an increased squad depth to support his side’s efforts.
However, with Brighton sitting two points and two places ahead of Villa in the Premier League table, Wednesday’s game is set to be a tough clash.
Paul Merson predicts that securing a top-four finish will rely on this result, writing for Sportskeeda: “This is the biggest game of the weekend, absolutely huge football match for both teams.
“Aston Villa have some tough fixtures coming up, but this is what they need when they are chasing top four. If they were playing Ipswich next, they could have won the game, and every other team around them could have also won. But here, if Villa beat Brighton, Unai Emery’s men can go above their opponents.
“Whoever loses this game, will miss out on Champions League football next season. It’s as simple as that for me. That doesn’t make it any easier to pick who wins, though. Villa have seven games coming up across competitions in the next 21 days. I don’t expect them to win all the league games during this run-in.
“If I had to pick a winner, I would go for Villa here because they have a better squad than Brighton. But something tells me this will end up being a draw. Prediction: 1-1.”
Aston Villa have to get off to a good start on Premier League return
It certainly isn’t the easiest game to return to Premier League action with, although, as Merson points out, it’s better to play the teams around you to allow the opportunity to gain points on them.
Whether this will prove to be a key turning point in the race for Champions League football will be seen at the end of the campaign, but it is a big game.
If Emery’s men come out victorious, they can go above their opponents in the Premier League table, which puts them in a stronger position as they advance throughout the rest of the campaign.
| Team | Position | Played | Goal Difference | Points |
| Brighton | 7th | 29 | 6 | 47 |
| Fulham | 8th | 29 | 5 | 45 |
| Aston Villa | 9th | 29 | -4 | 45 |
There has been plenty of debate over what is the most important thing for Villa this season. A trophy would mean plenty to the supporters, but a top-five finish creates more revenue for the club and potentially attracts more players.
That being said, if the men in Claret and Blue can build off the momentum of their win on Sunday, there is no reason this side cannot go for both a trophy and a European finish.