Defining weekend for Nakamba

By Ricky Zililo

Marvelous Nakamba’s Aston Villa face a decisive closing weekend of the 2019/20 English Premiership season and need nothing short of victory against West Ham in London to avoid the dreaded chop.

Villa grabbed a priceless 1-0 victory over visiting Arsenal on Tuesday night to move one place above the relegation zone by a superior goal difference over third from bottom Watford.

Both sides are tied on 34 points heading into the final games of the league on Sunday’.

Villa, who bounced back into the topflight by winning the 2018/19 promotional playoff, will be out to cement their stay in the EPL when they visit West Ham.

Being the final weekend of the season obviously triggers bad memories for Villa fans, whose side spent three years in the Championship before returning to the top tier this season.

Before being relegated from the EPL in 2016, Villa played in the top tier of the English Premiership since its establishment in 1992/93.

Now home to Zimbabwe international Nakamba, who is in his maiden Premiership football, Villa are aware that a defeat or a draw at West Ham and victory for Watford over Arsenal will condemn the Birmingham side to the Championship, joining Bournemouth and Norwich, who have already been relegated.

An elated Nakamba described the win against the Gunners as “massive” and is looking forward to the final game, which should be a blood and thunder affair against West Ham.

“What a massive win tonight (yesterday) for the team and our fans. Nothing is impossible, there are ways that lead to everything. Our focus now turns to the weekend,” he wrote on Twitter.

The Warriors’ midfielder came from the bench in the 73rd minute for Conor Hourihane.

For Watford, the game against Arsenal is a tricky encounter as the Gunners will be out to end the season on a bright note and put a smile on their supporters.

Villa can’t rely on the Gunners to eliminate Watford as the London side has been blowing hot and cold, winning three out of their last six games, including an FA Cup semi-final tie against Manchester City. Arsenal have recorded two defeats and a draw in the last five outings.

Watford’s last two games were defeats and Villa’s victory against Arsenal might inspire them to up their game to try and snatch victory over London side West Ham.

While Nakamba heads into the weekend fighting for victory to survive, his countryman Teenage Hadebe’s Yeni Malatyaspor, who have already been relegated, will play for pride against Gaziantep in the Turkish Premiership on Sunday. The Chronicle