Can Aston Villa Gate-Crash the Top-Four Party?
Aston Villa have been on a rapid rise since Unai E
Aston Villa have been on a rapid rise since Unai Emery took over. The Villans finished seventh in the Premier League and secured a UEFA Europa Conference League place last term, but can they finish in the UEFA Champions League spots at the end of the 2023-24 EPL campaign?
The Champions League Race
This season, the top-four Premier League battle will be fascinating. Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool have made a strong start, while Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as contenders under new boss Ange Postecoglou. Aston Villa could also be in the mix, and in the sports betting – which is known as paris sportifs in Cameroon – Emery’s men are priced at just 5/1 to finish in the top four.
The Emery Effect
Former Arsenal manager Emery was appointed at Villa Park in October 2022. He succeeded Steven Gerrard, who left the club languishing around the relegation zone.
The Villans went on a staggering run under the Spaniard, finishing in seventh spot and claiming a place in Europe for the 2023-24 season. After a year in charge, only Man City had picked up more Premier League points.
The @PremierLeague returns. 😍 pic.twitter.com/5fmWZayY7t
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 22, 2023
Aston Villa claimed several eye-catching wins last term, seeing off the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur. From February to April, Villa put together a stunning ten-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, winning eight and drawing two.
Emery’s troops made sure of a European place with a win against Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day. Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins were the scorers in the 2-1 victory at a jubilant Villa Park.
Villa have gone from relegation fodder to genuine top-four contenders, which must be one of the biggest transformations in Premier League history. Can they go even further and book their spot in the 2024-25 Champions League?
Villans Make Strong Start
The 2023-24 campaign got off to the worst possible start, as the Midlands club were thumped 5-1 by Newcastle at St James’ Park. However, they responded superbly with four straight league and cup victories.
One of the standout results of the season so far was Villa’s stunning 6-1 success over Brighton in September. The Seagulls are pushing for Europe themselves, but a Watkins hat-trick inspired Villa to a huge victory on home soil.
🟣🔵 Unai Emery: "We have an individual coach working with Ollie Watkins. We show him different strikers we worked with before."
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 21, 2023
“I had a very good player, for example, in Cavani. His movement was perfect to show other strikers."
"Not only him but also Carlos Bacca in… pic.twitter.com/yETGJY0kRj
They also picked up notable wins over Chelsea and West Ham United, and a 3-1 home victory against Fulham before the international break left Aston Villa flying high in fifth place in the Premier League table.
With the club also doing well in the Europa Conference League, 2024 is set to be a busy year. The hectic festive period packed full of Premier League games is approaching, and Villa’s FA Cup journey begins in January.
Aston Villa have been one of the best Premier League teams over the past year or so, but it remains to be seen whether they can keep up the relentless pace. If they can stay strong over Christmas, the Villans could gate-crash the Champions League party at the end of the campaign.
