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Play Arsenal on Tuesday
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Unai Emery continues to truly defy the odds at Aston Villa. The Midlands side have enjoyed their most successful period in the 21st century under the Spaniard's stewardship since he arrived in 2022. When they were in the Championship in 2019, few could have expected that six years later they would be playing in a Champions League quarter-final, and beating the likes of Bayern Munich on the biggest stage in Europe.
Many fans were left disappointed by the clubs' summer transfer business, as they failed to properly replace Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who had been on loan last season. No Premier League club spent less than Villa's €30.5 million - even Championship sides Ipswich (€59.3m) and Southampton (€56m) spent more. The club's only major signing was forward Evann Guessand, who was brought in from Nice for €30m and has failed to make a big impact in the Premier League so far.
Villa started the season in parallel with their summer window, failing to win in any of their first five games of the campaign. Yet as we approach the halfway stage of the season, once again Emery has got a tune out of the squad, with Villa are now flying high in third place. They are seven points ehad of fourth placed Liverpool, but face league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates this Tuesday, and should they win, they would be go level on points with the Gunners. Emery's side beat the Gunners at Villa Park earlier this month thanks to a last minute winner - could lightning strike twice in north London?
Aston Villa's Champions League-qualifying squad dismantled?
What Aston Villa achieved in the 2023/24 Premier League was nothing short of a miracle, and a real blow to the modern status quo of the English top-flight. Emery oversaw a remarkable revolution that saw the Midlands side break into the top four and seal qualification into the Champions League. When Emery had replaced Steven Gerrard as Villa boss, just 11 games into the 2022/23 season, the club were 17th in the table.
Most younger Villa fans, who don't remember the glory years of the 1980's, will tell you it was their favourite season supporting their club. There was a real connection there between the supporters and the team for all to see. If you had told those same fans that just a year and a half on from that top-four finish, Douglas Luiz, Moussa Diaby, Diego Carlos, Jhon Durán, and Leon Bailey would all no longer be at the club, there would certainly be some shock. Yet despite a disappointing summer, and many of their recent stars moving on, Emery continues to have Villa competing at the top. He has lost star players, seen others age, and still gets results.
How Emery turned Villa's season around
As illustrated in the graphic below, only Manchester City (80) and Arsenal (80) have taken more Premier League points than Aston Villa (76) across the 2025 calendar year. That means they have even taken more points than Premier League champions Liverpool (71). Emery has turned to players who had previously been injured or out of favour to help them become one of the league's in-form teams again. Argentinian creative midfielder Emiliano Buendía missed 69 matches with an ACL injury and many felt his career at Villa Park may be over, but he has played his way into Emery's starting XI and is beginning to thrive.
After a slow start to the season, star player Morgan Rogers is now dazzling once more, highlighted by his superb brace in a recent 2-1 win against Manchester United. Donyell Malen is showing signs that he is now adapting to the Premier League, whilst experienced players like Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Martínez and Lucas Digne are helping steady the ship. To continue having Villa dining at the top table of the Premier League, especially given the lack of summer investment, is an incredible achievement from Emery.
