Whether or not Zimbabwe will have a representative in the English Premier League next season depends on relegation-threatened Aston Villa’s fight for survival.

Well, some would say it also depends on Tendayi Darikwa’s Nottingham Forest’s push for a play off spot but that is a different episode on a different series.

Villa, home to Zimbabwean midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, who broke a 9-year wait for a local player to grace the English top flight when he was signed from Belgian giants Crub Brugge in August last year, are flirting with relegation with their status hanging by a thread.

They battled to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle at St James’ Park last night- what could turn out to be a lifeline in their quest for survival.

Admittedly, the Claret and Blue have not had the best of returns to the English top division; they have won a paltry seven games this season and are 19th on the table, though only goal difference separates them from 17th placed West Ham United.

While Zimbabweans were not happy with Nakamba being dropped to the bench for the third consecutive game since football in England returned, as evidenced by some of their hilarious posts on Twitter, what’s more important now is the club’s survival.

They host impressive Wolves on Saturday, before traveling to Anfield for a date with champions-elect Liverpool, then host top-4 chasing Manchester United, in what is likely to be a nail-biting and congested period in the Premier League.