The survival – a look at the last 13
- •
- 436 reads
- •
- 2,601 views
- •
- 7 min read
Aston Villa sit in a perilous position in the Premier League table. Rock bottom and needing nothing short of a miracle if the want to keep their prestigious status.
We have decided to weigh up the next 13 games we have in a mini-series called ‘The Fightback’ where we look at how realistic is it to believe Villa could survive.
There will be tears of some form at Arsenal, so have a read and brace yourselves.
Liverpool - 14th Feb - (H)
Valentines Day. Will it be a fairytale return for Christian Benteke at Villa Park or will it be a nightmare against The Redmen.
Before this game would have been a free hit, but in the current situation we will have to search for three points, especially at home.
Last time: 3-2 loss.
Stoke City - 27th Feb - (A)
Playing Stoke Away is never easy. It is possibly the toughest away game in the league.
Away from home Villa have had more luck this season so a result at the Brittania would be superb.
By this stage in the season we should be starting to shift some places or at least make a dent on the current 11 point gap.
Last time: 1-0 loss.
Everton - 1st Mar - (H)
Villa lost in humiliating fashion last time out against The Toffees. The Villans collapsed in a 4-0 defeat which perhaps summed up everything wrong with the club.
Jack Grealish was caught out partying after the game. The side can party if we win this game and push on.
Romelu Lukaku is in the form of his life right now and Ross Barkley is coming into his own.
Last time: 4-0 loss.
Manchester City - 5th Mar - (A)
Playing Manchester City away normally ends up in a heavy defeat for Villa or late heartache.
Manchester City will be at their peak come March so anything against them will be a huge bonus. Delph is bound to feature for The Citizens just to rub it in.
Could Villa’s fate already be sealed by this stage though?
Last time: 0-0 draw
Tottenham Hotspur - 12th Mar - (H)
This will arguably be the hardest game left for Aston Villa.
Spurs have been in scintillating form all season and will need to win if they want to keep their title charge going by this stage in the campaign.
Harry Kane is bagging the goals consistently with the English core to the side a key cog in Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
They also have had the rub of the green at Villa Park in years gone by.
Last time: 3-1 loss
Swansea City - 19th Mar - (A)
Swansea City are currently plummeting dramatically and could well be in a real relegation struggle by late March.
They have quality but like Villa lack a clinical striker. By this stage in the season anything is really possible down the bottom of the table – unlike at the top where team’s are solidifying their top six hopes.
Last time: 2-1 loss
Chelsea - 2nd Apr - (H)
Chelsea are in the bottom half of the table currently and have had a real off-season.
On visits to Villa Park in recent season’s they seem to have grinded out results against the run of play with Villa giving them a runaround. This encounter will be one to watch with the relegation battle really hotting up.
Last time: 2-0 loss.
Bournemouth - 9th Apr - (H)
Bournemouth at home will be a massive game. The Cherries look like they will pull away but they need manpower which is not existent currently.
The reverse fixture saw Villa grab a late winner in their solitary victory of the season so far.
Last time: 1-0 Villa
Manchester United - 16 Apr - (A)
Old Trafford is renown to be a tough place to go to and win, but more and more sides are getting results at the so-called, ‘Theatre of Dreams’.
This game is again a free hit for Villa.
Last time: 1-0 loss
Southampton - 23rd Apr - (H)
Southampton’s form is topsy-turvy, but despite this, they possess some real quality that could seriously hurt Villa.
The last time Villa played The Saints it was a 1-1 draw and we played well.
Last time: 1-1
Watford - 30th Apr - (A)
The Villans ran Watford close at Villa Park a few months back, but winning at Vicarage Road is proving hard and Sanchez-Florez has The Hornets playing some superb football.
This day could be a gloomy one with plenty of teams relegated in years gone by on this game week.
Last time: 3-2 loss
Newcastle United - 7th May - (H)
Newcastle will almost certainly be in the relegation scrap like Villa by the late stages of the season. Winning at home could seal survival. But winning looks far away right now.
Last time: 1-1.
Arsenal - 15h May (A)
D-Day. Simple enough. Win and there could be tears. Lose and there could be tears.
Arsenal could need to win to win the title and Villa could need to win to stay up. Anything could happen. We have form in beating The Gunners at the Emirates on the last game of the season.
Last time: 2-0 loss.