The Championship side are hitting form at just the right time and have other things going for them too.
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster 12 months for Aston Villa fans, with last season’s painful Championship playoff defeat to Fulham triggering a summer of anxiety with the club’s future at stake.
Luckily things worked out alright as Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens took control of the club and stabilised the finances, but even though things were calmer off the pitch, on the pitch Villa were not having the best of times.
When Steve Bruce parted company with Villa in October, the club were 12th in the table and had won only one of their past nine Championship matches (BBC Sport), and despite Dean Smith’s arrival, they remained some distance from the playoffs as early back as a month ago.
February was a woeful month for the West Midlanders, with two defeats and three draws (BBC Sport), but then things started to click into place, with January loan signings Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause forming an indomitable partnership at the back, and returning duo Jed Steer and Andre Green also impressing.
Arguably the biggest boost for Villa came in the shape of the return of Jack Grealish from a shin injury, his comeback coinciding with four wins in a row as he scored a wonderful volley against Derby, the winner against bitter rivals Birmingham – and that after being attacked by an opposition fan – and good displays against Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough.
Now, Villa have received yet more personnel boosts in the shape of Manchester United’s on-loan defender Axel Tuanzebe coming back from injury and Keinan Davis setting up a goal in his first game back since January, yet more quality and strength in depth becoming available to the club as we head into the business end of the season.
Villa are now sixth in the table thanks to their superb run and, even though there are half a dozen teams snapping at their heels, their upturn in form, increase in confidence, players returning at just the right time and a desire to succeed where they failed last season heralds well for the potential to rectify last season’s failure in the playoff final this time round.
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