Ambitious PL side rattled, manager in anguish over what Carrick is ‘trying to’ do with this United team

At one stage, it looked inevitable that Aston Villa would secure a Premier League top-three finish, yet the mood in the West Midlands has shifted to concern.

Villa, once the most in-form side in the league, now find themselves dragged into a tense battle for the top five.

With only one win in their last five league outings, they have surrendered their grip on the title race and handed rivals fresh motivation to displace them in the table.

Stunned at Molineux

Their latest setback was a frustrating 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in Friday night’s West Midlands derby.

After the match, manager Unai Emery admitted to a creeping sense of panic within his squad, acknowledging the frustration of giving competitors a chance to capitalise on their struggles.

Emery reacts

As quoted in The Metro, the Spaniard reflected:

“In September, I was worried, and the objective was to stay in the Premier League. In December, I was so happy and excited to get the top-five position and achieve the Champions League.

“One month ago, I was dreaming about maybe winning the Premier League. Now we are in the average to be in the top five.

“Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, they are trying to get to us, for them it is a priority to get into the Champions League.”

The ball is in United’s court

That anxiety may soon be justified. Should Manchester United dispatch Crystal Palace on Sunday, they would leapfrog into third place, leaving Villa with the daunting task of reclaiming the position.

But the fixture list offers little respite for the Villans: clashes against fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and then a trip to Old Trafford next weekend make Emery’s quest for a top-three finish increasingly difficult.

For United, however, the opportunity is clear. Going third is not one they can afford to squander, unlike the many chances to climb the table wasted under Ruben Amorim.

Now unbeaten in ten matches, six of them under caretaker head coach Michael Carrick, United have built momentum that could even propel them into the title conversation, provided they sustain this flawless run.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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