Aston Villa can top the table at Christmas – and Unai Emery knows they can win the title
Can Aston Villa win the Premier League? It is the question which continues to become more of a hot topic with each passing week, as records and opponents continue to be smashed apart in Unai Emery’s magical transformation of this famous old club.
With many of Villa’s rivals fading away like specks of dust in the rear view mirror, Emery is running out of ways to defuse the excitement surrounding their season.
Yet there was a telling moment on Sunday, after Villa’s 12th victory in 17 matches was secured away at Brentford.
The question was posed to Douglas Luiz, one of Villa’s star men this season, who was suspended for the match which ended in another statement of intent.
“Yes. We can win the league, of course,” he replied on his Twitch platform, and it perfectly captured the mood of soaring confidence in Emery’s dressing room.
If Villa can beat Sheffield United at home on Friday night, and then Liverpool draw against Arsenal the following evening, Emery’s outsiders will be top of the league on Christmas Day.
Villa last won the league in 1981 and there will be many older supporters who recall the 1998-99 campaign, when John Gregory’s resurgent team led the table after 20 games and then slipped away.
Emery is a wily, experienced operator and will continue to be cautious.
There are still a few concerns over a lack of strength in depth, and an injury to a player such as inspirational captain John McGinn, leading scorer Ollie Watkins or – whisper it – goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, could be seriously damaging.
Boubacar Kamara is facing a three-game suspension after his dismissal at Brentford and is one of those players whose importance only becomes more stark when he is missing from the team.
Their away form also needs improvement, despite the victory at Brentford which required resilience and fortune in equal measure.
But why can’t Villa dream big? The amazing turnaround under Emery over 13 months is propelling the club forward on a tidal wave of momentum.
Emery continues to break records
The stats are, quite frankly, ridiculous. Villa have won 15 league games in a row in front of their own supporters, for the first time in their history.
Emery has 81 points in this calendar year, which is a total surpassed only by Treble winners Manchester City. That represents another club record, after 25 league wins in 2023.
Villa are nine points above fifth-placed Newcastle.
Hell, they are even beating ‘bogey team’ Brentford away from home now, for the first time since an FA Cup tie 70 years ago when Tommy Lawton scored for their opponents.
Could Villa emulate Leicester in 2016?
Villa’s emergence as title contenders has drawn some comparisons with Leicester City’s triumph in 2016, primarily because they are two clubs who have dared to gatecrash the private members’ party.
Emery’s reluctance to address winning the title is certainly reminiscent of the dotty, genial Claudio Ranieri.
It was not until April 22 when Ranieri finally admitted Leicester could win it, four games before the end of their remarkable season.
At that time they were five points ahead of nearest rivals Tottenham, yet it was very late in the campaign when Ranieri abandoned his trademark caution.
Emery has been fending off discussion over Villa’s title prospects like an opening batsman facing the first over of the Ashes at the Gabba.
Even talking about challenging for the top-four has been a stretch, pointing to the likes of more established rivals such as Newcastle and Brighton.
There are similarities between Villa and Leicester, in that they are both super-charged from their exploits in the previous season.
It could be argued that Leicester’s title win of 2016 will always be more significant even if Villa can go the distance.
Leicester lost only three league games that season – three! – and did not have the financial backing that has been supplied by Villa’s ambitious owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
They relied on shrewd recruitment, with arguably their best two players Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez costing just £1.45 million between them.
Over the years, many have tried to belittle Leicester’s achievement by claiming that the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United were in a bad moment. Dilly-ding, dilly-wrong.
It came out of nowhere, and a club the size of Leicester may never repeat such an achievement.
Emery is an elite coach
Yet Emery’s revitalisation of Villa has been stirring ever since his appointment, when Manchester United were beaten at home on his debut for the first time since Alan Hansen uttered that memorable quote about not winning anything with kids.
Their results and performances, particularly against Manchester City and Arsenal in the space of four days earlier this month, mean they have to be taken seriously. Villa have blown the title race apart.
Emery is an elite coach, and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as his peers Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp.
He is the puzzle solver, a tactical genius who makes players better.
His most substantial challenge now is keeping a lid on expectations.
Make no mistake, though: Villa are title contenders, and he knows it.
