Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher backed Aston Villa to finish in the top six at the start of the season, but despite Unai Emery's side failing to win for over a month, the Liverpool legend has doubled down on his prediction.
Villa's last league win came at Fulham after the October international break, but they are only three points off third-placed Chelsea in the league table ahead of facing the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Carragher refined his early predictions, now installing Liverpool as champions with Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea making up the rest of the top four. After dropping Tottenham down to fifth place, the Liverpool legend was happy to keep Villa in a Europa League slot.
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"Sixth I had Aston Villa and I’m not going to change that, I’m going to keep Aston Villa there," Carragher said on the Sky Sports Premier League channel. "I think they have had a rocky period, which you’d expect. They’re not a team who you’d expect to be challenging for the league title.
"When you are a team who are challenging for the top four positions, you will have stages when you don’t do as well. They are absolutely flying in the Champions League.
"Sometimes when players aren’t used to playing in the Champions League and the Premier League at the weekend, it can take a lot out of you. Not only physically but mentally as well.
"You are playing at the absolute highest level every game you play. It’s not like playing in the Europa League on a Thursday night when you can drop off a little bit.
"They’ve just found it tough in the last couple of weeks but I think they will bounce back. I certainly think they will get another European finish again this season."
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