The chase for the remaining Champions League spots has Aston Villa in the mix with a number of teams. A minor miracle could happen, and Manchester City could lose to AFC Bournemouth. More likely than not, however, Villa will be relying on Nottingham Forest to unseat Chelsea from a CL position.
There is still an onus on AVFC to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. Maybe some earlier results were unlucky, and there are matches that Villa wish they could have back. In reality, if the Villans cannot defeat this Man Utd squad, then they will not have earned a spot in Europe's top competition.
For some, that may be the desired outcome anyway. For those who believe that Villa is continuing to build on something truly incredible as an annual contender, that would be a stab in the heart in what has been a truly magical year.
The fact remains that this Ruben Amorim squad is playing awfully at the moment. Between the players adjusting to their role in the 3-4-3 system and being overrated and overvalued as is, there really isn't anything to point to that would suggest their ability to win against good competition, at Old Trafford or anywhere else.
Villa need to put this fixture out of hand early and convincingly win. Certainly, three points, even if they came in an ugly affair, would suffice. Because of where AVFC are currently positioned and the intended goals of the club as a whole, this is an excellent opportunity to further cement the status of Villa as a legitimate threat to the top six on an annual basis.
Aston Villa are the better team
To illustrate this point, imagine if someone only started following the Prem from the beginning of this season. There isn't a way that anyone would say that United are the better team or better-run club than Villa.
Now, with something very much on the line, compared to the hosts who will truly only be playing for pride, this is a game that Unai Emery's side can showcase how much further along they are compared to their Manchester counterparts at this point.
A win will do a lot to solidify their position in Europe next season. Even if other results do not go in their favor, Villa need to ensure that they finish the season in dominant fashion.