After beating Arsenal in dramatic fashion last weekend, Aston Villa find themselves just three points off the Gunners in top spot in the Premier League and are the form side heading into the busy Christmas period.
Unai Emery’s side have won nine out of their last 10 games and look back to their incisive best after a poor start to the season.
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No sooner than a potential challenger appears – Manchester City and Erling Haaland aside – they seem to fade away.
Ever since Arsenal overtook a flailing Liverpool at the top of the table after seven games, there has been a sense that the league is theirs to lose, but that hasn’t stopped others trying to get a look in.
After nine games Bournemouth were second and being hailed as the potential next Leicester. After 12 games, Chelsea were six points behind Mikel Arteta’s side with the opportunity to cut that to three if they had won at Stamford Bridge at the start of the month.
And now, after 15 games, Villa are just three points away and are the form team in England.
How did Aston Villa fix their problems?
Villa failed to score in their first four games but have gone on to win nine of their last 10 in a run that should be even better after they somehow conspired to be one of the few sides to lose against Liverpool in that time.
In a league that is getting more and more direct, Emery has doubled down on his intricate approach and is reaping the rewards.
While other over-achievers this season – Sunderland, Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace – have all embraced a direct, counter-attacking style, Villa haven’t changed their tune. Emery encourages his players to play short – with just 13% of their passes going long this season – to draw the opposing team onto them before springing into the space.
In their early games Villa struggled with this approach. Teams found it too easy to defend against their deep build up and Emery’s side managed just 10 shots on target across those four games – a stat they have almost tripled in their last four.
This is a team that is more than the sum of its parts.
Under Emery players like Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and more have blossomed into genuine top class options.
For Emery to get this much of a tune out of his players is not a surprise – he’s one of the best coaches in the world – but to have turned around their poor start so emphatically while also navigating the Europa League proves his skill.
Aston Villa goalscorers in the Premier League this season
Donyell Malen: 4
Emiliano Buendia: 4
Matty Cash: 3
Morgan Rogers: 3
Ollie Watkins: 3
Amadou Onana: 2
Boubacar Kamara: 1
John McGinn: 1
Ross Barkley: 1
Yes, Morgan Rogers is the star and there’s a reason Thomas Tuchel considers him a genuine challenger to Jude Bellingham as England’s starting No. 10, but Villa’s top scorers in the league this season are backup winger Donyell Malen and the inconsistent Emi Buendia.
Should Morgan Rogers start for England?
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Yes
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No
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League this season?
It’s not impossible but Emery knows it’s still unlikely. ‘If we were in day 35, perhaps we can speak differently,’ he said after that late, late win over Arsenal on Sunday.
Villa’s next four Premier League games are West Ham, Manchester United, Chelsea and… Arsenal.
The Spaniard has worked wonders since arriving at Villa Park in November 2022, win those four and their chances of making day 35 with skin in the game will only increase.
Ollie Watkins’ backup Evann Guessand is heading to the Africa Cup of Nations next week as part of the Ivory Coast squad, leaving Villa light up front at a crucial period which could scupper their chances.
But the real aim this season should be to win something, anything.
Most of the Villa squad weren’t even alive the last time they won a major trophy in 1996 – fans looking at Newcastle and Crystal Palace celebrations last season will want a day in the sun soon.
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