5th it is
The European picture is now much clearer.
Manchester United's shock FA Cup defeat to Portsmouth means that Villa will need to pip, more likely than not, Everton into fifth place to qualify for Europe next season.
Tottenham have already claimed one UEFA Cup spot through the Carling Cup, another will go to the FA Cup winners or the runners-up if Chelsea claim the trophy and have already finished in the top three.
Villa had been hoping for a United-Chelsea final.
Two league spots for the UEFA is harsh on Villa and all the other clubs striving to play on the bigger stage.
All the more galling when you think that Sam Allardyce's Bolton finsihed seventh last year with 56 points and a minus goal-difference and yet qualified.
Villa have ten games to go and are just eight points off the tally.
If there was any crumbs of comfort to be had on a day when Liverpool stormed eight points clear it was the poor results of Blackburn and Manchester City which would seem to put Villa in a great position to finish sixth.
That would seem to make the InterToto Cup a probability- unless Sunderland can do Villa a favour by beating Everton tomorrow.
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Mat Kendrick - is the Birmingham Mail's man at Villa.
I've never understood why teams are so scared of the InterToto as an option - after all it's not different to playing pointless friendlies against nobodies.
When you end up finishing about 8th, will Randy and General Napalm Death Krulak be happy? O'Neill is already getting twitchy and he doesn't like pressure. His honeymoon period is over and it's time he delivered considering the money he has had. Nice finish by Nigel by the way, maybe he should go up front?
Bill
In your article
"Tony McAndrew hails his Aston Villa 'special' ones"
You say
"home-grown players from Gareth Barry "
I know he has been there a long time, but Bornemouth might have something to say. He was 17, and broke into the first tem pretty quickly
Anonymous; quick tip, if you're going to quote inaccuracies do it right. Bournemouth wouldn't care, he wasnt there player.
Brighton on the other hand...
The usual bitter and twisted with jealousy Bluenoses biting at the Villa on here I see.
Actually Sty dswellers, Barry came from Brighton as a lad. He started training with Villa as a kid and signed his first proffesional deal on his 16th birthday with AVFC. A product of Villa's youth system if ever there was one.
Sty dwellers, I'd concentrate on your relegation battle ahead in front of an empty Sty if I were you.
Seals, you buy in all your players.
And how's the Messiah performing now?
Not very good.