Just 11 weeks ago, Aston Villa were winless and sitting third bottom of the Premier League.
Now, thanks to Unai Emery, they are third in the table and even being mentioned in the title race.
Their dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal showed how far they have come. It was Emery’s 63rd Premier League win, the most of any Villa manager, and he now has a 54.94% win rate. Only Arsenal and Manchester City have earned more 2025 points than Villa’s 67 from 34 games.
In Europe, Villa can almost seal a Europa League last-16 spot by beating Basel on Thursday.
This turnaround is impressive because Villa started the season terribly — bottom three, out of the Carabao Cup, and the last Football League team to score a goal.
They also lost Monchi, faced PSR restrictions, and people questioned whether Emery had lost his touch.
But Emery didn’t change anything. He stuck to his methods, stayed calm, and kept believing in his system. The club felt drained after two years of rapid progress, expectations were sky-high, and early results were poor, including losses to Brentford and Crystal Palace.
There was also uncertainty around Emi Martinez, and new signings like Sancho, Elliott, and Lindelof had little impact.
The squad looked weaker after losing Rashford, Asensio, and Ramsey, and PSR meant they only spent on Evann Guessand and Marco Bizot.
Ollie Watkins struggled badly, scoring only once in 19 games. But Emery stayed firm. Villa will strengthen in January, with Brazilian teenager Alysson close to joining.
At Bodymoor Heath, Emery demands total focus. He keeps training intense and private, uses detailed video sessions, and refuses to change tactics just because results dipped.
His authority at Villa is strong — more than he ever had at Arsenal or PSG. He even influenced the choice of new football chief Roberto Olabe, and he relies heavily on trusted staff like Damian Vidagany.
Now, Emery sits just three points behind Arsenal and is pushing Villa toward the Champions League again — even if he insists they are “not contenders.”
Villa have won nine of their last 10 Premier League games and 13 of their last 15 in all competitions. They haven’t always been perfect, but they beat Arsenal and Manchester City and still haven’t hit top gear.
Their attacking numbers have surged — xG up from 3.8 to 8.8, more shots, more big chances, more box touches, and more tackles.
It took time, but Emery’s perseverance and belief have powered Villa’s resurgence and turned them into real challengers again.
