The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
Sports Reporter
UNLIKE last season when they had to wait until the final day to secure their place in the English Premiership, this time around Marvelous Nakamba’s Aston Villa have no relegation headaches as they head into today’s clash against Manchester United.
Aston Villa were by yesterday 10th on the log with 48 points, and 21 clear of the relegation zone.
Nakamba has not seen action in Villa’s last two league matches and is likely to start on the bench when his side host United at Villa Park at 3.05pm.
The 27-year-old Zimbabwean star has 11 appearances this season and has started on seven occasions, the last one being in Villa’s 1-2 home loss against Manchester City on April 24.
Though he might be concerned by lack of regular action, Nakamba, who appears to thrust into the starting side whenever Villa face the Premiership’s big hitters, has no worries about relegation.
The same cannot be said of Teenage Hadebe, whose Turkey Super Lig side Yeni Malatyaspor are battling to stay in the top-flight.
Malatyaspor played Rizespor late yesterday and went into that match just three points above the red zone.
However, Hadebe has been a consistent performer for the Turkish side.
The 25-year-old centre-back now has 28 appearances for Malatyaspor and has on numerous occasions been named in the Turkey Super Lig Team of the Week.
Hadebe’s performances have reportedly attracted interest from some French Ligue 1 clubs.
For all the hullabaloo created by Brendan Galloway’s decision to finally play for the Warriors, the Luton Town defender’s CV is very unattractive.
The 25-year-old former Everton player is yet to feature for Luton Town, who are 12th on the English Championship table.
Galloway has made the match-day squad only on six occasions this season, the last being on January 12 when his side lost 0-2 to Queens Park Rangers.
The defender was included in the Warriors provisional squad announced last week, which was set to play against South Africa in a 2022 World Cup qualifier in June.
The qualifiers have since been postponed to September due to threats posed by the coronavirus.
Experienced right-back Tendai Darikwa would have been key for the Warriors given his current form for English League One side Wigan Athletic.
Darikwa has now played 2 250 minutes in 25 appearances for The Latics since his short-term move from Nottingham Forest in January.
Worryingly though, Darikwa’s side are not yet safe from relegation.
They are 20th on the log, with 48 points and just four above the relegation zone.
It’s also not looking good for Warriors striker David Moyo in Scotland.
His side Hamilton Academical are bottom of the table and are slowly losing the survival battle.
The 26-year-old Moyo has also done little to help his side’s cause, having only scored three times in 31 appearances.
He was on target when his team beat St Mirren on May 1, but his side remain mired in the red zone ahead of their clash against Ross County on Wednesday.
In France, fit-again striker Tino Kadewere has been rallying his teammates as Olympic Lyon continue with their chase for a Champions League slot.
With Lille now almost assured of the title, after a convincing 3-0 victory at Lens which pushed them to 79 points on Friday night, Paris Saint-Germain, who are four points behind, look set to bag second position.
Lyon played Lorient yesterday and are battling with Monaco for third place, which guarantees them a berth in the Champions League playoff stage.
Kadewere has scored 10 goals in 33 appearances.
His Warriors’ captain Knowledge Musona finished the Belgium First Division A regular season on seven goals from 24 appearances for AS Eupen.
The Belgian top-flight season proper concluded last month and the competition has now moved into the championship and relegation playoffs.
Musona’s Eupen finished 12th.
Midfielder Marshal Munetsi also has no relegation worries in the French Ligue 1, where his club Stade Reims are eight points clear of the red zone.
The 24-year-old versatile player, who has also been used as a centre-back, featured 25 times for Reims and has scored once.
There is no such joy for Alec Mudimu’s Ankaraspor, who are second from bottom in Turkey’s second-tier league.
Mudimu has started 12 times for his Turkish side.
But left-back Jordan Zemura is in a different space as his English Championship side Bournemouth have a chance of making it into the Premier League promotion playoffs.
