Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has delivered a characteristically pragmatic verdict on his team's Premier League prospects, firmly dismissing suggestions they are in a title race despite a historic victory at Chelsea.
Villa's Stamford Bridge comeback extends remarkable run
Villa secured their eighth consecutive Premier League victory with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win at Stamford Bridge. The triumph marks the first time the club has won eight straight top-flight matches since a run of nine victories between October and December 1910.
Ollie Watkins emerged as the super-sub hero, entering the fray just before the hour mark and turning the game on its head. Remarkably, each of Villa's five away league wins this season has now come after they conceded the first goal.
Emery's focus on process over position
When directly questioned if his in-form side should now be considered genuine title contenders, Emery's response was unequivocal. "Not really. I am not feeling it, but we are competing very well," stated the Villa boss.
He immediately pointed to the established powerhouses, adding: "Man City and Arsenal, wow. We are going to play 38 matches. There is still Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United. We must compete against them and try to be more or less consistent in 38 matches like we are now. Arsenal and Man City are still in front of us."
Building a resilient mentality
Emery instead chose to highlight the mentality and structure his squad has built. "It is not a surprise and it makes us proud, but it is about building a mentality and structure like we are doing," he explained, reflecting on his team's comeback prowess.
He revealed the cautious approach taken earlier in the campaign: "We were so worried in August and September. We were speaking progressively to get challenges in every match we were playing. We didn't watch the table, but focused on each match."
The manager praised his players' defensive discipline in the first half at Chelsea, describing it as "fantastic", before acknowledging they struggled to control possession. The impact of the substitutes in the second half proved decisive. "Their impact was fantastic and it is a good example for the players who were on the bench," Emery noted.
Across all competitions, Villa's current 11-game winning streak matches a club record, previously set in September 1897 and March 1914. Despite this historic form, Emery's message remains clear: focus on the process, not the league table.
