Can Aston Villa beat Arsenal and Manchester City to the English Premier League title?
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Unai Emery's Aston Villa have won 15 of their past 17 matches in all competitions, including 10 of 11 in the English Premier League.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LONDON – Aston Villa are the English Premier League’s form side, with Unai Emery’s men surging into title contention alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.
After failing to win any of their opening five games of the season, they have won 15 of their past 17 in all competitions, including 10 of 11 in a fiercely competitive Premier League.
The Birmingham-based club have shrugged off their status as a sleeping giant since Emery’s arrival just over three years ago.
But Villa have not won a league title since 1981, and that was their first since before World War I.
Here is a look at whether they can realistically maintain a title charge against the might of Arsenal and City.
Reasons to believe
Villa’s winning streak is the latest example of year-on-year improvement under skilled tactician Emery.
After a 13-year absence from Europe, including three seasons in the second-tier Championship, he has led the Villains into continental competition for the past three seasons.
Paris Saint-Germain were on the ropes at Villa Park in April but escaped to win a thrilling Champions League quarter-final 5-4 on aggregate before going on to win the competition for the first time.
City and Arsenal have also recently left Birmingham beaten, among Villa’s run of one defeat in 32 games on home soil.
Spaniard Emery now has a squad of experienced internationals, including Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez plus England trio Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and the in-form Morgan Rogers.
Rogers, who has been preferred to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham by England boss Thomas Tuchel, has been the star of Villa’s revival, with five goals and three assists in the past 11 league games.
A step too far?
Performances have not always been in keeping with Villa’s stunning run of results, raising doubts over whether they can maintain their sparkling run.
Only two of their 10 league wins have come by more than a single goal, and the underlying data suggests fortune has been on their side.
According to the expected goals statistic, Villa should be languishing in the bottom half of the table based on their displays so far.
The true test of their title credentials will come over the festive season, as they host Manchester United on Dec 21 before trips to Chelsea and Arsenal after Christmas.
“I know 38 matches is very difficult,” said Emery when quizzed on their title chances. “We are not a contender. If we were in game 35, perhaps we can speak differently.”
History suggests keeping pace with the resources and squad sizes of the Premier League’s serial contenders will be too much for Emery’s men.
In the 2023-24 season, Villa found themselves in a similar position after beating Arsenal and City at home in December, but ultimately ended the season 23 points off the top, in fourth place.
Villa will also likely have to balance their efforts between the Premier League and the Europa League deep into the season. They sit joint top of the continental table with a place in the last 16 virtually guaranteed.
Emery has won the competition four times during his spells at Sevilla and Villarreal – a record that makes Villa favourites to end their 30-year wait for a trophy in Istanbul come May. AFP
