Strange Times for Villa Fans

These are strange times for Villa fans. Up to now their Premier League history is made up of odd flashy wins followed by long periods of despair – not title run-ins. But Unai Emery is taking the club into a new normal.

Belief in the Air

Perennially the bridesmaid and never the bride, supporters are used to being defeatist when considering the future. But there is a feeling that Villa being crowned in May for the first time as Premier League champs is not a completely barmy theory. World No1 Emi Martinez recently boasted "I'm a believer mate" when asked if the club could do it.

Reforming Positions

There is no doubt pundits fixated on the big six are beginning to reform their positions as Villa steamroller all opposition at home and previous records have tumbled. Currently on a best-ever home winning league run, they have beaten 15 teams at Fortress Villa Park including Manchester City and Arsenal in the space of a few days.

Building a Competitive Squad

But unlike Leicester's lucky run, Villa have quietly been building a competitive squad since billionaire owners Nassef Sawiri and Wes Edens took over a near bankrupt club in 2018. They now talk about creating a Great eight as opposed to a Big six. Aspirations are huge.

Emery's Masterplan

Their only blip on the road has been handing the manager's job to Steven Gerrard, who flirted with the relegation zone. Their number one decision is then handing the reins to habitual winner Emery with his glittering trophy cabinet – who literally turned the ship around in October 2022 and it's been going upwards ever since.

Top Spot in Sight

If Villa beat Sheffield United on Friday, they would now climb to the top spot. A likely draw between Liverpool and Arsenal the following day would mean Villa is top for Christmas. That feat which is always considered a good omen for where the trophy ends up.

Do You Want to Bet Against Us?

In the famous words of club legend Ron Saunders, who guided Villa to their last league win... Do you want to bet against us?