Former Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock has issued a direct plea to the club's owners, insisting the January transfer window is crucial to maintaining their push for a top-four finish.
Festive schedule takes its toll
The warning comes after Villa dropped points for the second time in three Premier League matches, held to a draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Wednesday night. This result meant they missed a key opportunity to overtake Manchester City in the table.
Warnock, analysing the game for BBC's Match of the Day, argued that the intense run of fixtures over the festive period has finally impacted Unai Emery's squad. This follows an impressive earlier streak of 11 consecutive victories across all competitions.
A call for 'top, top end' signings
The pundit believes owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE) must now provide financial backing in the market. He emphasised that the requirement is for quality additions, not merely squad depth.
"I think both managers, more so Unai Emery, will be looking to the board now," Warnock stated. "'What can we do? How many can we bring in? But if we're going to bring in good players, we want the top, top end players. We don't want just squad players who are going to help us along. We need to kick on and make sure that we get into the Champions League places.'"
The small squad challenge
Warnock pinpointed the size of the playing group as a potential weakness, especially with the added demands of European football this season. He noted that both Emery and his predecessor prefer working with a compact squad, but suggested this approach is being tested.
"It's very difficult when you're in European competitions to have such a small squad and be reliant on them," he explained. The former left-back's comments frame the January window as a pivotal moment for Villa's ambitious season.
While the recent draws are not a crisis, and Villa performed well enough to win against Palace, the analysis highlights a growing consensus: strategic investment this month could be the difference between Champions League qualification and falling short.
