Gary Neville points to Unai Emery 'habit' as Jamie Carragher revises Aston Villa prediction
Gary Neville expects Unai Emery to inspire a strong finish to Aston Villa's Premier League season to claim fifth spot - and a third straight campaign in Europe - despite their recent inconsistencies. Villa have won only four of their last 16 matches in all competitions since posting successive wins over Bologna and Fulham in mid-October.
It's uncharacteristic form over an extended period for Villa, who have often been immaculate under Emery since his instalment as manager in the autumn of 2022. Despite picking up more recent wins over RB Leipzig, Brentford and Southampton, they've struggled to rediscover the scintillating form they produced at the top of this season.
But Villa remain well placed to progress in the Champions League and are likely to take that campaign through to the spring - they require results against Monaco and Celtic in their final group games this month to do so - and pundit Neville, who adds that he hopes Villa can advance further but predicts they'll fall short, still believes Emery possesses enough nous to spark Villa back into life before the run-in - and predicts they'll finish fifth.
READ MORE: Louie Barry irony not lost on Birmingham City as Chris Davies’ transfer needs increase
READ MORE: Dave Challinor allays Birmingham City fears as Chris Davies' team loses League One leadership
"I'm going to stick with Villa," he told Sky Sports. "I think Unai Emery just has a habit. With the Champions League, they'll go out at some point in February or March is what I predict. I mean I hope they don't, I hope they go all the way and win it, but if they drop out in February, March, I just think Unai Emery is the type to get them really cracking towards the end of the season. I think they'll finish strong and get into that fifth spot."
Fellow pundit and former Premier League defender Jamie Carragher doesn't agree. In the summer, he predicted Villa to finish sixth, but now he doesn't believe the Lions will be in contention for a position that high.
Much of that is to do with Nottingham Forest, the Premier League's surprise package of the campaign - and both Neville and Carragher now expect Nuno's side to claim sixth spot after such an excellent first half of the term. But as for fifth spot, Carragher believes it will go the way of rejuvenated Newcastle - who have won four league games on the spin, including against Villa.
"I fancy Newcastle," he said. "They don't have the European situation. They could go a bit further in the Carabao Cup, but I just look at Villa and they just can't quite get going. They'll win and then they'll lose points. It feels like it happens a lot. They've been in front at home and then they've been pegged back and drawn. It just looks like Newcastle are getting into a real run of form. When I look at that midfield and I look at Isak up front, it's pretty special."
