Second in league since Emery's arrival - Villa's 'remarkable' rise

1 year ago 45
Unai Emery during Aston Villa's Premier League triumph  implicit    Fulham astatine  Villa ParkAston Villa person won 13 of their 20 league games nether Unai Emery

From a relegation conflict to European contenders - it is hard to judge the translation astatine Aston Villa.

Since Unai Emery's assignment arsenic manager successful November, Villa are 2nd successful the Premier League signifier array - lone beneath Arsenal - and apical if you instrumentality conscionable the past 10 games into account.

When they past played Fulham successful October, they ended the crippled successful crisis, retired of the relegation portion lone connected goals scored - and without a manager.

That 3-0 nonaccomplishment astatine Craven Cottage saw Villa fans, whose broadside had lone won 2 of their opening 11 matches, boo the broadside disconnected and brought an extremity to Steven Gerrard's reign successful charge.

But Unai Emery has got the Villa faithful looking up - and dreaming of amended times again.

A scrappy, hard-fought 1-0 triumph implicit Fulham astatine Villa Park connected Tuesday took them up to fifth, supra Tottenham, with 5 games of the play to spell and a accidental to instrumentality to European shot aft a 13-year absence.

"We are successful the Europa position, it is inactive hard to achieve," said Emery.

"The dreams are present and it's bully for everybody - and we tin stock this with the supporters.

"We're present a campaigner for fifth. But Tottenham plays tomorrow, Liverpool person a lucifer little than us, Brighton 3 matches and we person to play Liverpool, Tottenham and Brighton.

"With each lucifer we are winning, it is giving america assurance and a accidental to get there."

Villa connected the up

PositionTeamPWDLPts
1Arsenal20135244
2Aston Villa20133442
3Man City17122338
4Man Utd18113436
5Newcastle18105335
6Liverpool19104534
7Brighton1684428
8Brentford1877428
9Wolves1983827
10Tottenham1983827

Emery started his occupation 5 months agone and instantly guided them to a 3-1 triumph implicit Manchester United and Villa person not looked backmost since. They person picked up 42 points retired of 60 disposable since 6 November, with lone Arsenal (44) having much successful that period, though Manchester City person played 3 games less.

Villa person present won 13 of their 20 league games nether the Spaniard, scoring successful each match, and are unbeaten successful 10 since a 4-2 nonaccomplishment against league leaders Arsenal successful February.

"They're connected the up, they could truly spell and bash immoderate damage," said erstwhile Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell connected BT Sport.

"Who tin begrudge them getting into Europe, from warring relegation to the brink of Europe."

Before the commencement of the season, Gerrard - aft taking Villa to 11th successful 2021-22 - stripped Tyrone Mings of the captaincy, with John McGinn the replacement.

Against a lacklustre Fulham, the existent skipper acceptable up the erstwhile 1 with Mings heading successful from McGinn's first-half country successful a crippled of fewer chances.

Speaking connected BBC Radio 5 Live, erstwhile Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam felt Emery, who had antecedently managed Sevilla, Paris St-Germain, Arsenal and Villarreal, had "transformed" the club.

"At the aboriginal portion of the season, Steven was successful determination and made immoderate large decisions similar changing the captaincy and the players didn't similar it," added Adam.

"Unai Emery has travel successful and seemingly transformed it. To get to wherever they are now, from wherever they were, and perchance decorativeness successful Europe volition beryllium a singular accomplishment for Villa."

Matches against European rivals to specify season

Tyrone Mings celebrates scoring the winning extremity   successful  Aston Villa's Premier League triumph   implicit    Fulham astatine  Villa ParkTyrone Mings, scorer of the winning extremity against Fulham, was stripped of the nine captaincy nether erstwhile manager Steven Gerrard

Villa won the European Cup successful 1982, but person not played successful European contention since losing successful the Europa League play-offs to Rapid Vienna successful August 2010.

Their destiny lies successful their ain hands with matches against 4 of the apical 8 - Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Brighton - inactive to come, arsenic good arsenic a derby astatine Wolves.

They finished 11th past play and 5th oregon sixth volition permission them successful the Europa League adjacent season, with seventh capable for a spot successful the Europa Conference League play-offs.

"I deliberation they're good equipped for Europe," said erstwhile Villa striker Peter Crouch.

"The biggest plus is their manager, who ever does good with the underdog and Aston Villa could perchance beryllium that.

"There are teams who wouldn't privation to play against Villa - I wouldn't stake against them now."

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