It’s been an excellent opening half of the 2023/24 campaign for Aston Villa with the club in an excellent position, domestically and in Europe, going into the final few months of the season.
Here’s a look at what is a realistic aim for Villa and their prospects in the competitions they remain in.
Premier League Title Still the Dream
Only Liverpool sit above Aston Villa in the Premier League standings after 20 games of the campaign. Those looking to place a football bet on Villa for the title can now get odds of 20/1, far shorter than the odds available at the start of the season.
Although they’re below Villa in third place following 20 games, Manchester City are the odds-on favourites at 4/5 in the Premier League winner odds. Pep Guardiola’s side have just started to find their best form again, and they’re boosted by the recent return of Kevin De Bruyne.
To stay in the title race, Villa need to keep picking up maximum points as City, Liverpool and Arsenal are all in the hunt for the league championship. The game against City at the Etihad Stadium on the 3rd of April could be huge should Villa continue to be in one of the top positions in the table.
Top Four
It’s been 28 years since Aston Villa last finished in the top four of the Premier League standings. Should they do so this season, they’ll qualify for the Champions League next season. Villa has yet to play in the premier European competition since it was rebranded in 1992.
The 1982 European Cup winners have an excellent chance of securing a top-four finish this season. Their home victories over Manchester City and Arsenal in November show they have what it takes to remain in the Champions League places.
FA Cup
Aston Villa will travel to face Chelsea in the Fourth Round of the #EmiratesFACup. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/AV7haRFqFr
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 8, 2024
Villa booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup thanks to a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the third round. They’ll now face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in what’s going to be a tough test.
The seven-time FA Cup winners haven’t triumphed in the competition since 1957. The last time Villa reached an FA Cup final was in 2015 when they lost 4-0 to Arsenal at Wembley Stadium. A return to the national stadium in May for the final would be a great achievement.
Europa Conference League Triumph
🗣️ Thomas Tuchel: “I have huge respect for Villarreal and Unai Emery. I mean, they will have to call [the UEFA Europa League] the Unai Emery Trophy soon!”
🤝 Respect between coaches 🤝#UEL | #SuperCup pic.twitter.com/tvH34vslu2
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 11, 2021
The UEFA Europa Conference League is likely to be high up on the priority list for Villa manager Unai Emery. The Spaniard has had a lot of success in Europe, as he has won the UEFA Europa League on four occasions.
Villa have already booked their spot in the last 16 of the 2023/24 Europa Conference League after finishing top of their group. They must now await their opponents in the knockout stages, with the draw set to be made following the play-offs.
With their side in contention on so many fronts, it’s going to be an exciting few months ahead for Villa fans.
Image from: unsplash.com
