Aston Villa have undergone an incredible transformation since Unai Emery’s appointment as manager in November. They are currently second in the Premier League form table, only behind Arsenal, and top if you take just the last 10 games into account. This is a stark contrast to their situation in October when they were out of the relegation zone only on goals scored and without a manager after a 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage saw them booed off the pitch.
Under Emery, Villa have won 13 of their 20 league games, scoring in every match, and are unbeaten in 10 since a 4-2 loss against league leaders Arsenal in February. This has given the Villa faithful something to dream of, with a chance to return to European football after a 13-year absence. A scrappy, hard-fought 1-0 win over Fulham at Villa Park on Tuesday took them up to fifth, above Tottenham, with five games of the season to go.
Villa now have four of the top eight teams – Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Brighton – still to play, as well as a derby at Wolves. If they finish fifth or sixth, they will qualify for the Europa League next season, with seventh enough for a place in the Europa Conference League play-offs. Former Villa striker Peter Crouch believes they are well equipped for Europe and that other teams would not want to play against them.
It is hard to believe the transformation at Aston Villa since Unai Emery’s appointment as manager. With each match they are winning, it is giving them confidence and a chance to get into Europe and make their dreams a reality.