Tottenham Hotspur’s Ange Postecoglou and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery are both aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season.
Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal are competing for the Premier League crown this season, with the fourth slot up for grabs.
While Manchester United is still in the running, it appears like Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa will be the final two teams.
Spurs are sixth with 50 points after 26 games. Villa, now coached by former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, is fourth with 55 points after 27 games.
Villa will face Tottenham at Villa Park in the Premier League next Saturday, and former Newcastle United and West Ham United manager Alan Pardew believes James Maddison will be targeted.
The talkSPORT analyst hailed the £40 million (Sky Sports) England international attacking midfielder’s performance against Crystal Palace this weekend.
Maddison provided assistance. Spurs won the London Derby 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Alan Pardew discusses Tottenham Hotspur playmaker James Maddison and Aston Villa.
Former West Ham United boss Pardew has stated that Maddison is not a player who can be man-marked, and that Villa will attempt to neutralize him next weekend.
Pardew said of Maddison on talkSPORT (8:23 p.m., March 3, 2024): “Maddison, I felt, was fantastic. You know, someone who is looking for solutions; he spends the entire game trying to find a way between the lines or through the back-four. He is hunting for an incisive pass, a chance to turn the game. I adored it about him yesterday.”
The talkSPORT expert went on to remark, “The one thing about him that makes him difficult is that you can’t man-mark him.” You know, like the number ten guy. You can have your sitter stay with him for 95% of the game, or 90%. But he wanders all over the place. He moves into the back four and becomes a menace.
“You cannot designate someone for him. Do you understand what I mean? When playing against the Spurs, you must put him under pressure. And I am sure Emery at Villa will make sure he is looked after next week.”
