Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City fans to bring the noise and treat their remaining five Premier League matches as a cup final.
The side of Guardiola is fourth after recovering from a terrible end to 2024, but they still have to do work in the fight for a Champions League spot, separated by only two points with five teams.
One of those teams are the opponents of Tuesday Aston Villa, with whom they are confronted live on Sky Sports.
Asked if the match was against Villa as a cup final, Guardiola said: “Absolutely. And after Aston Villa the match to Wolves will be a final, then Southampton because every game counts.
“But Villa is a competition to be eligible for the Champions League and when you see the game they played against my friend Luis Enrique and PSG, I was really impressed.
“They can play a low block, but when they decide to go, with the weapons they have, the speed they have, the set pieces, it's a final and we need our people because I think our people want the Champions League again next season and hopefully they can wait from minute one.
“Sometimes we are slow, sometimes we are not playing well, but we desperately need them to support, to make noise and always be there because it is a final. Absolutely it's a final for us.”
Emery: Everyone focused on the task of Man City
For his part, Aston Villa -Baas Unai Emery says that everyone in the club is aimed at confronted with Man City, of which he says he has 'enormous' respect.
Emery said: “We can't stop. We are involved in our most important moment in the season and by the Premier League we try to get our first goal in 38 games playing and tomorrow is the 34th.
“Man City, one of the teams to compete in the top four or five, even to win the title, but this year is a bit harder for them, but my respect for them is huge as always and we are ready.
“Every player and every employee here in Aston Villa is so focused when we are and tomorrow we will prepare the game as well as possible with the players who will be available for tomorrow.”
What is the state of playing in the race for the Champions League?
The race for the top five is tight, because only two points in Newcastle are separated in seventh place in the third and Aston Villa, with five more competition weeks.
Newcastle remains third, despite their harrowing 4-1 defeat in Aston Villa, but Nottingham Forest could climb above them if they can win their game in their hand in the wrestling Tottenham on Monday evening football – live on Sky Sports.
Man City jumped Bos to fourth place after their 2-0 win in Everton and closed the gap in third place Newcastle to one point.
Chelsea also went above the forest and the fifth after their dramatic 2-1 victory in Fulham.
Chelsea, forest and seventh placed villa are all locked on 57 points, only separated by target difference.