Alan Shearer reveals Aston Villa advantage and makes Champions League prediction
Aston Villa are in a battle with the likes of Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea for a place in the Premier League top five
Alan Shearer has backed Aston Villa to claim one of the remaining top five places in the Premier League table in the remaining weeks of the season, and in doing so earn another year in the Champions League - and he believes that the Lions have an advantage over some of their rivals.
Villa have found their best form at the perfect time of year; having won one of seven league matches stretching across January and February, they have now put together five straight wins to lift them right into Champions League contention, with five matches still to play. That run has included big wins against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United.
The latter were sent packing 4-1 on Saturday and it means Villa are now only out of the Champions League qualification places because of an inferior goal difference. They will eagerly keep an eye on Forest's fortunes at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night and, speaking of which, Shearer thinks it's a positive for anyone playing Spurs, or Manchester United in the run-in.
Both sides, managed respectively by Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim, have guided their sides to the semi-finals of the Europa League, despite underwhelming domestic campaigns; both sides have little to play for in the Premier League and their eggs will be firmly in the continental basket in the final few weeks of the season.
For Villa, they play both sides in their remaining matches, something Shearer says won't hurt Unai Emery's side's chances in their bid to claim as many points as possible in the hope it'll be enough to book a second consecutive term in Europe's premier competition.
For Shearer, it'll be Chelsea and Forest who miss out on the top five spots, which - after runaway pair Liverpool and Arsenal - he expects will be claimed by Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City.
"It is hard enough to predict results in the Premier League anyway, but at this stage of the season it is even more difficult," Shearer told the BBC. "Looking at each club's remaining games doesn't really help in deciding what might happen, because some of the teams they face may have different priorities, or nothing to play for full-stop.
"It's the same for anyone who plays Manchester United and Tottenham before the end of the season too, because the Europa League is their priority now. Right now my guess would be that maybe Chelsea and Forest will be the teams who miss out - but that situation could change very quickly.
"There will be ups and downs for all five clubs involved but they have all got valid reasons for thinking they can and will make it. They all have the same incentive too - getting in the Champions League, or not, is massive because of the financial rewards it brings.
"Villa and Newcastle are both different again, in that both clubs have had a taste of it now and their fans, players - everyone - they all want more. I've been lucky enough to go to Villa Park for some Champions League games this season, including their thrilling attempt to fight back against PSG last week.
"The atmosphere was incredible, the same as it was with Newcastle in 2023-24. If you think about where both clubs want to go, and also how they might comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules while they try to get there, then Champions League football is imperative - let's wait and see what the next few weeks bring."
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Top items include the Anniversary Shirt, Anniversary Hoodie and Anniversary Polo Shirt, plus the 150 Years picture books Volume One and Volume Two.