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Tonight Aston Villa beat promotion rivals Cardiff City in a hotly contested affair, separated only by a wonder-goal by midfield maestro Jack Grealish.
With four games to go, Villa are mathematically unable to become Championship winners, with Wolves a whopping 14 points ahead of the Villans, with a game in hand, and Villa only able to get another 12 points this season.
However, Villa now find themselves only five points behind Fulham in second, and four points behind Cardiff who sit in third.
It is still possible for Villa to fall out of the play-offs if they were not able to gain any points from their remaining games, but that’s highly unlikely.
Villa’s remaining games this season include Leeds, who lost tonight away at Preston, Ipswich, who won at home against Barnsley, play-off rivals Derby – who play tomorrow against Wolves at the Molineux, and the last game of the season against in-form Millwall, who also find themselves in the play-offs after tonight’s games.
If Villa find themselves winning their last four games, Villa will find themselves on 88 points – which will find them, judging by last year’s table and this years current standings, remaining within the top four of the Championship table.
Realistically, the remaining games in the Championship mean that Villa’s hopes of automatic promotion not only lies in their own hands, but in the hands of those playing against Cardiff and Fulham in their remaining games.
It’s time to cross your fingers, your toes, and anything else you can cross. I’d even suggest turning up to Villa Park with your lucky undies on and keep those winning pre-game traditions up.
Regardless of the result at the end of the season, I think the vast majority of Villa fans would have ripped an arm off at the prospect of finishing in the play-offs, and it’s truly never been more important within the last decade to get behind the team, regardless of results and cheer the lads across the finishing line.
Roar like Lions, ladies and gents.
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Words by Regan Foy (@FindFoy) // Follow us on Twitter @claretandview
