Warnock: Christmas run-up will decide Aston Villa’s fate

Nov 17 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

STEPHEN Warnock expects Villa’s Champions League chances to become clear by Christmas after predicting the next six weeks will shape their season.

Warnock admits that Martin O’Neill’s top-four chasers are relatively satisfied after taking stock of their encouraging start to the Premier League campaign.

Villa return from the international break to visit Burnley on Saturday in fifth place on 21 points after 12 games – one better off than at the same stage last term.

But, with less than a third of the season gone, the former Blackburn left-back reckons it is too soon to judge where Villa will finish come the start of May.

“Would we have taken what we’ve got so far? I think so,” said Warnock, who was an unused substitute in England’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil in Qatar.

“But then you’re always disappointed with the games you’ve lost.

“You’d probably say, if you look at the Liverpool game, that not many teams go to Anfield and win, so you’ve probably picked up an extra couple of points there.

“Maybe you would have thought you’d have beaten teams like Blackburn or Wigan and gained there, so you’re really at the same level.