Villa now just as big a threat as Spurs

As we head into the season's final lap, wounded by a late Paul Scholes header, the mood around the club is still generally upbeat. We now must win eight or nine points from a possible twelve. How we do so isn't important, just so long as reading the final table from north to south informs you that we've somehow gazumped a Spurs side who in all honesty have been better than us since August.

Our run-in could barely be more difficult. Less than half of the division's clubs realistically still have something to play for - we face four of them. Not that we're moaning, just a bit anxious that we're past Easter with something to still play for at the right end of the big league. As the only club in the top eight with no experience of battling for Europe (via the respected means, at least!), safe to say most Blues are feeling a mixture of trepidation, downright nerves, and the general 'typical City' expectation that we might royally balls it up.

It's long been thought that the game with Spurs, which could have quite easily been rescheduled for any of several dates over April, would be the biggie - a play-off of sorts - Gray, Keys & Redknapp Jnr shouting a lot for no reason, rubbing their hairy hands and nervously adjusting their skinny ties, respectively, as the "moneymen", a term no-one connected to Sky Sports can resist when discussing Manchester City, fall flat on their faces right at the wrong time.

Thing is, as much as a defeat that particular night would put Spurs more-or-less out of reach, i think we might be taking our eye off the ball in that a very good Aston Villa side are just as capable of coming to Eastlands and spoiling the party. A single league defeat in fifteen and three years of solid away form should command a touch more respect than assumptions that they'll merely be coming to make up the numbers.

Despite every man and his dog predicting that Villa would inevitably fall away they stand three wins off the seventy point mark that would normally see a club home. Their poorer goal difference could still see them fall just short even so, but they're going about their business effectively and quietly whilst those around them get most of the plaudits and headlines. The pressure isn't on them, and they know exactly what they have to do. With that in mind, i fail to see how it's a two-horse race.

By the time we take to the field at the Emirates on Saturday evening Villa will most likely have edged us into sixth position. The third city derby may not be a formality, but you would fancy them heavily against a Birmingham side already on their jollies. That would make their trip to Manchester as huge as Spurs' visit the following Wednesday, and they have players who can hurt us just as much.

More than that, what Villa will have is a deep-rooted desire to beat us based on more than just edging us for fourth place. The most obvious score to be settled would be by Richard Dunne, a fans favourite and regular Player of the Year winner whose forced exit didn't sit well with lots of Blues. On a pure footballing basis i thought it was best for all parties at the time, but how it was done wasn't right and although Dunnaldinho's early season brilliant form may have tailed off, he's still proved a canny acquisition by Martin O'Neill.

Richard Dunne, as he'd freely admit, is City through and through, and as a leader, off the pitch at least, was never anything less than a superb role model. On it he came back from the brink to give us at least three splendid seasons, and whilst his respect for our support has never been questioned, he'll have a message to send to the suits at Eastlands, and understandably so. The best way for him to do that would be to help his side to three vital points on May Day Weekend.

Another edge to the game has come to fruition this week in press reports linking Villa's current finest - winger-cum-midfielder James Milner, with a £20m+ move here in the summer. The truth behind such tales is debatable given that we don't know who our manager will be next season and the player in question would, on current form, walk into any side in the country. It could be the press simply playing games ahead of the run-in, but each season we're linked with a raft of players shortly before details of the following year's season tickets are announced, and Milner, along with Young, di Maria, Cardozo, Torres, well, it's fair to say they're all bums-on-seats sorts.

Beyond that, though, i wonder if people behind the scenes at the club are toying with Villa - leaking stories, true or false, in order to unsettle a rival. I wouldn't put it past them, and i'm not convinced it's a coincidence that the Manchester Evening News and Guardian were first to break the 'news'. I may be wrong, and Martin O'Neill is quick to point out that there's no real evidence to back those sort of thoughts up, but we really don't need to be giving a side as good as us, in a decent vein of form, and with more experience in these sort of end-of-campaign duels, any more excuse to come to town and end our season.