Paul Merson makes Aston Villa claim amid relegation fears

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Paul Merson has told Soccer Saturday (broadcast on Sky Sports; 7/3; 13:30) that Aston Villa would take needing a win on the final day of the season to stay in the Premier League with a daunting run of games ahead.

Dean Smith’s men are currently second-bottom in the table. They do however, have two games in hand over all of the sides above them until you get to Arsenal in ninth.

But they do have a tough 11 games ahead. The Villans have to take on six of the current top seven – including Leicester City on Monday. And the lowest place team they are set to face before the final day is 13th place Newcastle.

The final day of the season sees Villa travel to West Ham, who are 16th and outside the bottom three on goal difference.

And Merson suggested that Smith’s men would take needing three points at the London Stadium if they were offered that option right now.

“[With their fixtures] They’d take that,” he told Soccer Saturday. “If they could go to West Ham on the last day of the season and West Ham are safe, and they need to win, they’d bite your arm off for that.”

Villa have shown on a number of occasions that they have the potential to be doing a lot better. And they will take a lot of confidence from their performance in the Carabao Cup final.

They have a group of players who are capable of raising their game. And there are more than enough teams treading water above the drop zone who can be dragged in.

A positive victory against Leicester on Monday would send out a big statement to Villa’s relegation rivals after many were impressed with their display at Wembley last weekend.

And perhaps they can be the ones to go on a run that ensures that they are safe by the time they travel to the London Stadium.