Comparing remaining fixtures for Aston Villa and Tottenham with race for Champions League hotting up

Aston Villa secured a vital three points in the race for Champions League football as they beat Bournemouth 3-1 on Sunday.

Having gone 1-0 down to a Dominic Solanke penalty given away clumsily by Matty Cash – who had a poor game – Villa went in level at half-time thanks to a fine Morgan Rogers goal.

Unai Emery‘s side were much improved in the second-half and two assists from the man in form, Ollie Watkins, allowed first Moussa Diaby and then Leon Bailey to wrap up the three points.

The result not only further cemented Villa in fourth in the Premier League, but took them six points clear of direct Champions League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

What made this all the more impressive was that the Villains had secured a Europa Conference League semi-final place after 120 minutes and penalties in Lille on Thursday night.

To be so close to Europe’s elite competition and still in with a very good chance of winning the Europa Conference League is some achievement, but what do the remaining fixtures look like for both Villa and Spurs?

Who are Aston Villa still to play?

A quick glance at the Premier League table would make you think Villa are sat pretty comfortable in fourth.

However, when you look a little deeper you can see there is still the potential for jeopardy, with Spurs having two games in hand on the Midlands club.

Villa are on 66 points after 34 games, with a goal difference of 21, whilst Tottenham are on 60 points after 32 games and have an inferior goal difference of 16.

Despite Villa having two less domestic fixtures remaining, they will at the very least play the same number of games as Spurs before the season is over due to their two-legged European semi-final with Olympiacos.

Therefore, the following is what is left in store for Emery’s men:

If Villa are successful in their efforts to reach the Europa Conference League final then this match will take place on Wednesday 29th May so should not impact their top four challenge.

Tottenham’s remaining fixtures in bid to beat Aston Villa to fourth

Villa’s run is far from straightforward, with the penultimate league game of the season at home to Liverpool having the potential to be particularly difficult.

With a frontline full of confidence and the side in great form they will fancy themselves against anyone, though, and you could argue the same could not be said for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham currently.

Spurs have won two of their last five Premier League games, with their most recent result a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United.

However, prior to that run Villa fans will not be able to forget that the North London side inflicted the same scoreline on them at Villa Park, so they are a real threat.

The good news for Villa is that Spurs’ run of games remaining is unquestionably far more difficult than their own, with the following the fixtures still to play:

This is a brutal run of fixtures for Tottenham, with perhaps their only saving grace the fact they play a Sheffield United side likely to be already relegated on the final day.

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