Steve Bruce has tipped Aston Villa to break into the Barclays Premier League's exclusive top four club this season.
The Sunderland boss will attempt to succeed where his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson failed at the weekend when he sends his side into battle with Villa at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.
Martin O'Neill's men climbed briefly into third place in the table as a result of their famous 1-0 victory at Manchester United on Saturday evening, slipping back to fourth when Arsenal won at Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
But while much of the attention so far this season has been on big-spending Manchester City and a rejuvenated Tottenham threatening the dominance of the traditional big four, Bruce believes the threat could come from elsewhere.
The 48-year-old, who was pitched into battle with Villa during his spell in charge at Birmingham, said: "Martin won't like me saying this, but for me if I was a betting man, then my tip would be Aston Villa to break into the top four.
"There has been a lot of emphasis on Manchester City and on Spurs, but you can look at the really good progress Villa have made over the last two or three years under Martin.
"His management skills, his shrewdness in the transfer market, the buys he has made, he has transformed Aston Villa from a team which, when I was in the Midlands, was always struggling in the bottom half of the table, to be competing now in European competitions.
"This year, in my opinion, they will be the one. When I look at the squad they have, they are very, very strong. All the way from the back to the front, they are an excellent team.
"They have beaten Chelsea, they have beaten Liverpool and they have beaten Manchester United now.
"We will have to be at our best this week if we are going to take any points at all starting with Aston Villa and then Manchester City on Saturday."
