Man United legend Gary Neville has given his verdict on Aston Villa's Premier League title chances
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville(Image: Getty Images)
View Image
Gary Neville does not believe Aston Villa can win the Premier League title, but insists they have the second-best manager in the division, which he feels will be enough to see them safely return to the Champions League.
After seeing their 11-match winning run end at Arsenal in midweek, Villa bounced back by defeating Nottingham Forest to extend their advantage over fifth-placed Chelsea to 11 points.
Villa have lost only two league games since beating Fulham in September - away to Liverpool and Arsenal - and have won all of their other 13 matches, collecting 39 of a possible 45 points during that period.
However, Manchester United legend Neville responded “no” when asked on his Sky Sports podcast whether Villa can win the Premier League title this season.
“It’s a good no, a no with a smile! The reason why they are up there is because they are a good team, but the manager,” Neville continued. “Their manager is of a different level compared to managers who have a similar squad to him.
“I think he is a difference maker, and gets eight or 10 points more than the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham. This manager is sensational and is the second-best manager in the league behind Pep Guardiola.
“That’s why Villa, with a squad that if you look across it isn’t sensational or ground breaking, but it is solid. You’ve got a guy who knows how to get the best out of them individually, but more importantly as a collective.
“They have a style, they all know what they want to do and where their next pass is. When you watch Villa they have combinations and they can play without looking, knowing someone will be there.
“For me, Villa are going to finish in the top four because of the manager and the solidity of their team formation to repeat patterns.
“They will do brilliantly well, but they will not win the title. They are well away from Arsenal and Man City. They might not even finish third but they will finish in the Champions League places, and they will deserve it.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
What do you make of Neville's comments? Tell us here
The latest Villa headlines sent straight to your phone
Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. It's a free service. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Villa writers.
We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Villa news. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click 'Exit Group'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. Click here to read our Privacy Notice