da poker: Aston Villa are on a superb run of form, and Unai Emery's side can now dream of European qualification, with the Villans up to sixth place in the league following a draw away at Brentford.
da aposte e ganhe: With six games remaining, Villa have an outside shot at a top four finish, but a Europa League spot looks up for grabs, and given that they were in a relegation battle when Emery arrived, it has been a dramatic change in fortunes.
However, they face a fairly tough run to end the season, and with the standings finely poised, the final six games could be the difference between Champions League qualification and mid-table. Here's how we think they will get on…
Aston Villa fixtures 25 April: Fulham (h) 30 April: Man Utd (a) 6 May: Wolves (a) 13 May: Tottenham (h) 20 May: Liverpool (a) 28 May: Brighton (h) Aston Villa vs Fulham
Both Aston Villa and Fulham have defied expectations this season, and the West London side can use this game as a means of catching up with the Villans, as they currently sit six points behind with a game in hand.
Fulham's form has stuttered since Aleksandar Mitrovic picked up an eight match ban, which will see him ruled out of the trip to Villa Park, and Villa can almost cement their place in the top half of the table with a victory.
It will be an interesting encounter with Fulham winning their home game last year, but the Villans have good home form with nine wins and two draws from their 16 games so far.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Fulham
Man United vs Aston Villa
Given that United are currently eight points ahead with two games in hand, Villa will have to win this game to stand any remote chance of catching the Red Devils.
United's injuries are stacking up, with centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both missing, and their elimination from the Europa League could further impact their ambitions in other competitions.
Emery's first game as Aston Villa manager was a victory against United in November, but repeating a 3-1 scoreline may be a tough ask at Old Trafford.
Prediction: Man United 1-1 Aston Villa
Wolves vs Aston Villa
A trip to Molineux to face their Midlands rivals could prove a tough challenge, with the sides drawing 1-1 at Villa Park in January as Daniel Podence and Danny Ings scored.
Wolves look more secure now than they did in January as they battle the threat of relegation, with Julen Lopetegui's side six points ahead of the drop zone.
The two managers last met in September in La Liga as Villarreal hosted Sevilla, which also ended in a 1-1 draw, and a repeat result could be on the cards.
Prediction: Wolves 1-1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa vs Spurs
Villa could take a big step towards European qualification as they could leapfrog Spurs if both sides remain close to each other in the table.
The Villans are just two points off, and with Spurs in a crisis following their humiliation at Newcastle, this could be a great chance to secure a huge victory against Emery's old North London rivals.
Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz scored as Villa secured an impressive 2-0 victory in the away fixture on New Years Day, and a repeat result would set Villa up nicely for a potential top seven finish.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Spurs
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
A tough trip to Anfield could be a stumbling block for Villa, as despite having a poor campaign, Liverpool's home form has been exceptional with just one defeat this season.
Villa lost 3-1 in the reverse fixture, and with Jurgen Klopp's side starting to find their form to keep their hopes of European qualification alive, it promises to be an intriguing encounter, but one which may end in defeat for the visitors.
Philippe Coutinho will return to the ground where he became a huge hit, but given his current struggles at the club, it seems unlikely that he will be in the starting lineup at Merseyside.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa vs Brighton
Villa finish the season at home against Brighton, in what could be a showdown for European qualification. The Villans are currently two points ahead of the Seagulls, but Roberto De Zerbi's side have played three games less.
The final day could be the first one in years where Villa are actively competing for a place in Europe, and they could find themselves in a situation where they may need to beat Brighton to overtake them.
Brighton have been impressive on the road, with the fourth-best away record in the league, and with the side flying, Villa will have to be at their best to secure a win.
Villa won 2-1 away at the Amex Stadium in November, but Danny Ings, who scored both goals, has since departed the club, and Brighton have improved since.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton
Predicted run-in points: 9/18
Predicted total points: 60