The Sky Sports pundit had initially feared for Tim Sherwood’s side.
Paul Merson says he has changed his mind about Aston Villa – for the better, according to Sky Sports.
Indeed, the former Arsenal midfielder says he feared for Villa’s Premier League safety a few weeks ago but is now more confident about the Midlands side.
And the pundit has therefore predicted a 12th-place finish for Aston Villa in the top flight, suggesting Sherwood’s men have more about them than several of their mid-table rivals.
Merson told Sky Sports: “A few weeks ago I feared Aston Villa might be relegated but I don’t think they will now because they’ve got enough in their squad. I look at those mid-table teams that have brought in quite a lot of players and they need to gel quickly.”
Conveniently, Aston Villa currently sit in exactly 12th place after four Premier League games.
Since their opening-day win over Bournemouth, though, Villa have gone three games without a victory. One of those games was against Manchester United and one at Crystal Palace – so expecting wins there might be a bit harsh of the Midlands outfit.
But, judging by the signings made by Aston Villa, there are certainly plenty of sides in a worse position than Sherwood’s men.
After the international break, Villa travel to Leicester City before hosting West Brom in a local derby. Then comes another derby in the Capital One Cup as the Midlands side face Birmingham City.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
