Amidst all the buzz at the top of the Premier League table, Aston Villa’s rise under Unai Emery might be going unnoticed. The former Arsenal manager has turned their fortunes around, and currently has them knocking on the door of the Champions League spots.
The team currently sits in sixth place, six points away from the top four with a game extra played. On the other hand, Brighton and Liverpool are behind them, with two games to play which could see them drop. But, they would still remain in contention for European places.
Aston Villa’s rise is going unnoticed in the Premier League
After parting ways with Dean Smith, Aston Villa appointed Steven Gerrard from Rangers. At the time, the decision felt like the right one since Gerrard was quite successful with Rangers. However, things didn’t work out for him in the Premier League and the defeats became much more regular.
As a result, Villa decided to part ways with the former Liverpool midfielder and recruit Emery from Villarreal. Right from the get-go, things have clicked for the team and they now have some significant stats to back it up.
Aston Villa have the most points, clean sheets, and top scorer of 2023 with Ollie Watkins leading the scoring charts for the calendar year so far. They most recently defeated Newcastle United 3-0 to open up the top four race, and assert themselves in contention.
The Midlands club has some bright young talents, who were underperforming for so long. But under their new manager, things have been working out quite well. And it wouldn’t be too surprising to see them finish in the top seven given the way they are playing right now.
