April – A massive month for Aston Villa!

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There is a lot of talk about what could happen when we visit Wigan for the final game of the season but I believe that April could be the month to decide our fate – not May!

I believe this month we have three very winnable games and should we come out with 7-9 points we could in fact be safe. If you believe anything that comes out of Harry Redknapp’s mouth, he also believes 37 points will be enough to stay in the Premiership after setting his QPR side a target of 14 points from their final 7 games.

Stoke Away

Up first we have Stoke City away from home and, despite their abysmal run, they won’t make it easy for us. On top of that we always seem to find it difficult going to the Britannia. I happen to believe a point would be enough here – and the bare minimum!

Wigan will be travelling to QPR with one eye on their semi-final at Wembley the following weekend while Sunderland will also be in the capital to take on Chelsea.

Fulham Home

Fulham are the next team to visit Villa Park and last night proved what I have been saying to friends recently: that Fulham are beatable. They are a little like ourselves – can be fantastic but can also be awful.

Their away formĀ isn’tĀ something to be proud of either and if it wasn’t for their home form they would be very much in a relegation battle themselves. Their home goal difference is +6 compared to their away of -9, having only managed three victories on the road this season.

Wigan don’t play this weekend due to FA Cup commitments but this will mean a bit of a fixture pile up for Roberto Martinez’s side. They have to visit champions Manchester City the following weekend, while their other game in hand will come on the 7th May against unpredictable Swansea, just three days after a visit to The Hawthorns.

Sunderland will be taking part in a local derby against Newcastle on the Sunday – in which defeat could leave them deep in trouble or a victory could even pull Newcastle right back into the battle.

Man Utd Away

United away is a bit of a nothing game for me – a little like Liverpool was the weekend. Don’t get me wrong, it would be great to pick up something there but I won’t hold my breath. Who knows? The title may be won by then and they may just take their foot off the gas. One can hope.

Wigan have to travel to the capital again, this time to take on West Ham who have been solid at home all season and no doubt Sam Allardyce will want to finish the season as high up the table as possible and prevent being dragged into a potential relegation battle. Sunderland will play host to, again, an unpredictable Everton but with them now having a battle with rivals Liverpool to finish higher it could be just what we need.

Sunderland Home

If it all goes to plan and we pick up 4-6 points in the previous three games then a victory here could secure our status in the league in my opinion. It would give us a gap between Sunderland and whoever else is below us and we could reach that 37-39 point mark that many managers seem to believe is the benchmark this season.

Wigan host Spurs on the same day and with AVB hoping to secure Champions League football for the North London side again, it could work in our favour.

So what is everyone else’s view on April? Will Villa end the month safe in the EPL for another season or will they end up being April’s Fools?

2 comments

  1. The reality is that we face a huge task to survive. We’ve deservedly been in or around the bottom all season. Our defense continues to make individual errors and Bannan, Westwood and sylla is unlikely to overpower many midfields, which is why we have a strong attack that scores too few. We struggle against stoke, sunderland will be reinvogorated by for canio and wigan are playing well. No other serious candidates for 18the place means Villa have it all to do. That and our goal difference. All we can do is keep supporting the villa.

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