Aston Villa: Steve Sidwell insists Villa can secure Champions League place
“But we can handle the pressure if we stay in the top four.”
Villa are suddenly the talk of the nation with a flurry of pundits and fellow managers tipping them to pip Arsenal to the much-coveted final Champions League spot.
“If you look at the way things are going at the moment, we are probably the in-form team in the Premier League,” said Sidwell.
“We are fourth. We are there because of our results, whether we have deserved them or not. It is a good time for the club.
“As the season goes on, we are going to become victims of our own success if we carry on going in the Uefa Cup and other competitions. We are going to keep getting games and it is down to the squad to cope with it,” he said.
Villa head into this afternoon’s crunch game protecting a proud unbeaten home record of 30 years against the Baggies.
But Sidwell says Villa must keep a lid on their emotions.
“Derby matches are massive for supporters but we have to put that to the back of our minds and just treat it as any other match. We have to play the game not the occasion,” he said.
Villa could be boosted by the return of Martin Laursen who has trained for the past two days.
Sidwell added: “I do enjoy derbies – it adds spice to the build-up but at the end of the day, we have to treat it as just another game. We must just be professional in our mind-set.
“Saying that, I totally appreciate what it means for the supporters in terms of bragging rights at the start of next week in work.”
