Aston Villa close in on Champions League spot even as Tottenham Hotspur give chase

Aston Villa are finding themselves in a sweet spot with just 3 more matches left to play in the season.

If there is one team in the English Premier League that has played far beyond its potential, then that is definitely Aston Villa. And much of that success is owed to Manager Unai Emery, who has brought verve, ball control, innovation and most certainly boosted mental strength and added purpose to their play. All this has placed them in a great spot in the EPL table - 4th. And they seem to be rooted in it. If they finish the season in this place, they will have qualified for the Champions League. And this revival has instantly rekindled old memories when Aston Villa last played in Europe's top club competition in 1983, which was a year after beating the iconic Bayern Munich in the final itself.

Aston Villa are being chased by Tottenham Hotspur for the covetted 4th spot in the League. (Action Images via Reuters)

They may find themselves in the 4th spot, but there is no guarantee they will retain it, especially as Tottenham Hotspur is breathing down their necks. With just three Premier League matches remaining to be played in the season, they have their task cut out and they cannot falter in any way. The side did not do itself too much harm after the 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Saturday. And even though they squandered a 2-0 lead, the result was not too bad considering that Tottenham lost 2-3 to Arsenal on Sunday.

Now Villa are seven points ahead of Tottenham, but they have some tough games to play. They will be coming up against Brighton, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. And their response in these matches will clearly show whether they have matured into a top-flight side.

While Aston Villa have one tough game to play against Liverpool, Tottenham have three fierce rivals to contend with in the form of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. However, they do have two games in hand, having played 33 games so far while Aston Villa have played 35.

While the Aston Villa have quality and have put up the wins when they mattered, it will still be a close finish between both these teams.