Manchester City’s Premier League game against Aston Villa has been billed as “a final” by Pep Guardiola because Champions League qualification is on the line.
The Premier League’s top five will qualify for Europe’s elite club competition next season and with Arsenal in a strong position to seal their spot alongside Liverpool, a fascinating race is developing with the next five clubs separated by only two points.
With five games remaining, City head into Tuesday’s match at Etihad Stadium fourth in the table while Unai Emery’s Villa are seventh, but trail by just one point.
Villa progressed further than City – who fell at the play-off stage – in the Champions League this season, reaching the quarter-finals before being edged out by Paris-St Germain.
“They are a contender to qualify for the Champions League,” said City manager Guardiola.
“You see the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique [PSG boss] – wow, I was really, really impressed.
“They can play low block and play away, but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set-pieces, they are incredibly well organised.
“It is a final and we need our people because I think our people want the Champions League next season again and hopefully they can help us from the first minute.
“Sometimes we are sloppy, sometimes we are not playing good, now we need them desperately to support us, to make noise and be there all the time because it’s absolutely a final for us.”
City and Villa could also meet in the FA Cup final in May if they progress through their semi-finals – against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace respectively – at Wembley this weekend.
