Former Liverpool player Phil Thompson has been delivering his verdict on the race for Premier League football and he's tipping Aston Villa to sneak up via the play offs.

Writing for Sky Sports, Thompson has predictably gone with Wolves and Cardiff to finish first and second, but he believes Steve Bruce's side will have too much quality for their rivals when it comes to the end of season lottery.

"It's a huge game on Sunday, but I do think that Cardiff will hold on to their place in the automatic promotion places alongside Wolves," he said of the race at the top. "Then anything can happen in the play-offs and I know it was a bad result against QPR, but I think Aston Villa have too much quality for the others when it comes to delivering when it really matters."

Villa have lost just once in five games and recently grabbed a fabulous win against leaders Wolves at Villa Park. They're seven points behind Cardiff in the race for the final automatic promotion spot, but ten points clear of seventh-placed Sheffield United, meaning they're almost certain to appear in the final round of matches.

This is only their second season in the last three decades outside the top flight, having last been a second tier side in 1987/88. They've never been involved in a Football League play off match, unlike the other sides in the promotion frame.

The Verdict

Predictably, Thompson has plumped for Wolves and Cardiff, hardly a surprise given the two sides lead at the top. I'm inclined to agree that Villa are firm favourites for the third promotion space, they're in good form and perhaps would be wary of Fulham more than the other sides. Maybe having never been involved in a play off might hold them back, but Steve Bruce is an old hand who has 'been there, done that' and he will leave no stone unturned should they need those extra end of season games to seal promotion.

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