Aston Villa's survival hopes have received a big show of support – Birmingham Live, Birminghammail.co.uk

Aston Villa ‘s relegation battle could be over with a couple of wins says football pundit and former claret and blue striker, Chris Sutton.

The former striker claims that to end the Premier League as it is due to coronavirus, would be a massive issue where Villa are concerned.

He stated: “If we were to cancel the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League and say no one will be declared winners of those competitions this season, then we could live with that.

(Chris Sutton playing for Aston Villa in “But to cancel this Premier League campaign right now, declare Liverpool as champions and relegate Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich, would open up a can of worms.

“Why? Namely because of Villa, their game in hand and the money involved in all of this. Win that extra match and Dean Smith’s side would be 16 th.

“They’d be safe. So to say you’re going down because you ‘re second bottom as things stand would be utterly unfair as far as they’re concerned.

They’d fight tooth and nail for the tens of millions that Premier League status brings with it. “

Sutton was supportive of Villa after their defeat to Man City in the Carabao Cup, he warned them they must use it as a springboard for a survival bid.

Villa

put in a spirited showing at the Wembley, taking Pep Guardiola’s 59453 – 615 treble winners all the way as they upset those who predicted a cricket score in favor of the current Premier League champions.

City went two goals ahead inside the opening half-an-hour but Mbwana Samatta halved the deficit four minutes before the first half.

And Villa pushed for a late equaliser as City became wasteful in front of goal,

Bjorn Engels going closest when he required Claudio Bravo to be at his best to palm the Belgian’s header against the post.

However spirited Villa’s display was, they still came away with nothing.

Now they need to make sure they come away with plenty from their final Premier League games.

“Aston Villa do not want this to end up being a ‘nearly’ season , “he wrote in the Daily Mail .

“The season they nearly won the Carabao Cup. The season they nearly retained their Premier League status.

“Manchester City took the trophy home but were it not for that save by Claudio Bravo at the death, Villa might have gone on to cause an almighty upset.

“They have to take the positives from this spirited performance and use it in their fight for Premier League survival.”

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