Supercomputer boosts Aston Villa hopes with positive Premier League prediction

Opta’s supercomputer has predicted that Aston Villa will qualify for the Champions League again this season, but only if the Premier League can secure a fifth spot for the second year in a row.

Villa finished sixth last season but Opta’s calculations tip them to end up in the top five in 2025/26, potentially qualifying for the Champions League for the second time in three years.

Based on Opta’s epic mass of 10,000 season simulations, Unai Emery’s men have a 30.5% of finishing in the top four this season but land on average in fifth place, collecting 60.7 points and finishing below Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.

This is quite expected considering their consistent campaign since the Spanish boss’ arrival. They sat fourth in 2024 and narrowly missed the UCL spot due to the controversial loss against Manchester United in the final fixture last season. 

Villa narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season after losing the final Premier League game against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Can Aston Villa win the Premier League?

The Opta supercomputer only has Villa winning the league 5.1% of the time. The last time they won the title was in the 1980/81 season under legendary manager Ron Saunders.

The top three sides, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, are still the favourites to win with 28.5%, 24.3% and 18.8% chance respectively. Then there is Chelsea, with an 8.2% chance, and Newcastle United. The Magpies actually share the same percentage as Unai Emery’s side. 

However, the Opta ‘supercomputer’ cannot truly predict accurately which team will win the Premier League, no matter how fancy their database is. Last season, the Reds were only given a 5.1% chance while Manchester City had an 82.2 % to defend the title. 

The unexpected Leicester City tale in 2016 was never on the radar of any bookies.

What about other silverware?

This season, Villa will be competing in the Europa League as well as the League Cup and FA Cup.

Considering Emery’s impressive record with his previous clubs, especially in the second-tier continental competition, the Villans will fancy their chances of a cup run.

The manager has the experience, winning four out of five Europa League finals with two different clubs, Sevilla and Villarreal.

The post Supercomputer boosts Aston Villa hopes with positive Premier League prediction appeared first on AVillaFan.com – Aston Villa Fan Site.