Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Run-in not easy warns Villa’s Warnock
Tuesday 16th March 2010, 11:57AM GMT.
Villa defender Stephen Warnock has insisted the team’s run-in is no easier than the rest of their top-four rivals.
The claret and blues head to relegation-threatened Wigan tonight for the first of two games in hand they have over fellow Champions League hopefuls Tottenham and Liverpool and one game over Manchester City.
While Villa have just Chelsea to play out of the big four in a run-in which predominantly takes in bottom-half sides, Spurs have to play Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in consecutive weeks, City have United and Arsenal, while Liverpool have United and Chelsea.
But Warnock believes that does not necessarily spell good news for the claret and blues, with them having to face sides scrapping for their lives at the bottom.
He said: “You say we only have Chelsea out of the big four, but we have to go to Manchester City and Everton still have to come to us.
“They are two teams who are fighting to finish in the top six or seven. There are no easy games in the Premier League, it’s an old cliche but it’s true, especially at this stage of the season when teams are scrapping and fighting for survival.
“The game against Wigan is going to be massive, because you know they’re going to be scrapping for every point they can get coming into the last 10 games of the season and, on the flipside, it is so important for us to get into the Champions League.”
Defender James Collins believes Villa must take advantage of their extra games.
He said: “We are in with a massive shout. We have games in hand on everyone, now we have a big game at Wigan on Tuesday night that we will be looking to win.
“That would push us closer to fourth. Confidence is high and we’ve done well in both of the cups and we’re going well in the league.”
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Hm, he chose not to mention a diddy-squat about Villas derby fixture with poor relations up the A457! At your peril, Warnock, at your peril
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