Despite the fact that Liverpool now look odds on for 4th and we don't look as good as some of the other top 4 wannabies, I still think the challenge for 4th is still on. We draw level if we win our game in hand, although as we play Man Utd on Wednesday, Citeh have Bolton and Spuds have Wolves we may be a bit further off.

Liverpool have Arsenal though and even if Arsenal lost today you'd fancy them against Pool at the Emirates.

I know I will annoy people with what I am about to write, but the thing is, we needed the three points today. Not because we would be relegated if we didn´t get them, but because we can no longer pretend to be pretenders.

We are a long way off top four. Disagree with me by all means, but if we finish in the top four in the next ten years, I will be surprised.

We have a big day ahead of us. Three points would be a fantastic result today, not just because of the team we are playing but because we would be a point above them with a game in hand and if it happens, it will be a great position to find ourselves in by the end of the day.

Better still would be Liverpool and Manchester City drawing, both results are possible and if were to get that luck - we would find ourselves in fourth spot by the end of the day.

For a fleeting moment, I was drawn in to the "big club" banter yesterday. But it strikes me that those exchanges served mainly to mask a refreshing truth. This is going to be one hell of a game.

It isn't going to be a hell of a game because of the bragging rights associated with it. Those rights have a part to play - that's football - and they'll be exercised with gusto come Saturday night.

Based on what I have read over the past few years, Spurs are one of those clubs that you either hate or have no feelings for whatsoever. You don't ever like them or have a soft spot for them. Yes, there are exceptions, but generally it is hate/dislike or nothing.

I can understand too. Spurs fans tend to have this arrogance about them that makes you want to dislike them. Yes, there are exceptions to this also and I've got a couple of mates that support Spurs and I'd happily sit in a pub with either of them all day and they are mates, but we have stopped talking football a long time ago.

Every now and then I like to look at the statistics. I like to look at them because we have a benchmark in how we are doing; the League table, but this sort of can, sometimes, back up that position. You can get quite a lot from statistics, if you dig deep enough.

The thing is, with statistics you can also pretty much make them mean exactly what you want them to mean, so while when things are going great, the statistics are great, when things are not going so great, the statistics tend to not be so great.

Not much going on I'm afraid. Spurs won last night. Also, 18 year old Nathan Baker has been caught selling some of his tickets to the Cup Final for £200 each on Facebook and the club have another questionnaire about another new website.

There is nothing to say about the Nathan Baker thing. He is 18 years old and he has made a mistake. Why he made that mistake is for another post but he'll now be watch the final on TV after he had his tickets taken away from him - but what happens to the ones he sold? Isn't it against the law and doesn't it carry fines to be doing what he did?

No news today yet, but if you didn't know, Aston Villa are the third favourites behind Chelsea and Manchester City to win the FA Cup at 5/1. Not bad odds those and with the news that we have Crystal Palace in the next round, you have to fancy our chances to progress.

I do, but I am always positive against teams in lower leagues, only because we should have enough and with our work rate, the odds should be in our favour. What I'm saying is that I expect us to beat Crystal Palace and think we will.

We here at The Villa Blog have once again teamed up with the fantastic people over at Lucozade Sport to give two lucky Aston Villa fans the chance to be at Villa Park to see Aston Villa take on Manchester United on February 10th.

As well as tickets for you and a guest, you will get the full access to the 82 Lounge including a matchday programme.

I don´t normally do a post about the reserves, mostly because I very rarely get to see them, but tonight, while I was flicking through the channels, I found Chelsea TV and guess what, it was live from Villa Park.

I should also stress before anyone makes a comment, that I don´t on purpose subscribe to Chelsea TV, I just have a package where it is included.

Nick Shorey has joined Fulham on loan until the end of the season and I hope this isn't my prediction coming through. What I mean is, I said earlier that I thought something would happen, but I was secretly hoping for a player or two coming to us.

There is speculation that we are going to make a deadline day bid for Michael Owen and I think I can safely say that if that were to happen it would be fantastic. If Owen knows how to do anything, it is scoring and there is absolutely no doubt he is a quality player.

The transfer window closes today and I am fairly confident we will see something happen. I'm not saying if it coming in or leaving or if it is a permanent deal or loan, I just think something will happen.

But this post isn't about today, ti is about Saturday and how we went to Fulham, played a little bit of football and took, as it turns out, a very good three points.

Fulham are ten points and three places behind us but we don't like going to London and we haven't beaten Fulham at Craven Cottage since 2004 (before that it was 1970), so this won't be straightforward.

Also, Roy Hodgson is a tactician; he will have his team set up to deal with our 'placed long balls'.

It would be easy to focus on the comments made by Arsene Wenger and the reaction from Martin O'Neill but I would simply be digging myself a hole as I agree with Mr Wenger; we do play long ball football. Okay, you can call it counter attacking football if you want, but it is long ball football nevertheless.

Arsene Wenger is also not the first manager to comment on this about our team. Zico talked about it last season as did Tony Mowbray when he was at West Brom. Football pundits have also called us one dimensional and well, turning to a faithful friend, the statistics don't lie either.