Aston Villa made a shaky start to the campaign but their Spanish manager has kept calm and led them to ten wins in their last 12 matches in all competitions
Unai Emery on the touchline
Unai Emery has re-established Aston Villa as a serious Premier League force
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Last Monday, Pep Guardiola admitted he was “embarrassed and ashamed” for confronting a cameraman on the St James’ Park pitch. Well, Pep, there is one simple measure that can be taken to ensure it does not happen again. Stay off the pitch. After all, you are not a player any more.
Managers on the pitch after a game has become the modern norm, of course. It would be harsh to criticise for merely going out there to thank the fans but, sometimes, it becomes a little too much about the manager.
Think Pep giving one of his ultra-animated lectures to an opposition player. Think Jurgen Klopp’s chest-beating and air-punching. Post-match on the pitch should be about the players who have just slaved on it.
Quite a few managers recognise this but quite a few don’t. After all, from a commercial point of view, it benefits the profession to be more high-profile.
But one manager who is far from high-profile is Unai Emery. Not being present for every Aston Villa game, I cannot say with certainty that Emery ends every match by shaking his opposite number’s hand and walking briskly to the tunnel, leaving the players to the ovation or, indeed, the opprobrium.
But that is the way it looks. And good on him. It is fair to say some Premier League managers seem to enjoy the spotlight and some appear to shy away from it.
Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa celebrates at full time
Leeds United v Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers has established himself as one of the Premier League's top attacking midfielders
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Emery is clearly one of the latter. To be fair, the spotlight on Villa’s achievements has not shone with undue brightness in recent times.
They have received due recognition for their fourth-placed finish in the 2023/24 Premier League and for their commendable Champions League effort - ended only by eventual winners Paris St Germain - the following season. But Villa are still rarely bracketed with the clubs seen as capable of making a push for the title. And it is about time that changed.
Qualifying for the Champions League through their domestic efforts in 2023/24 was a laudable achievement. But now, not qualifying for the Champions League through their domestic efforts in 2025/26 will be an underachievement.
Ollie Watkins gesticulates
Ollie Watkins has had a tough season so far but Unai Emery has faith in the England striker
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There are so many doubts about the powerhouses of Liverpool and Manchester City that this is a season of huge opportunity for Emery and Villa. They are in a good run of form and ten goals in their last four games - two Premier League wins and two Europa League wins - suggests they are finding some solutions to the potency issues that saw them score 14 times in their first 14 fixtures in all competitions.
Donyell Malen is looking like a relatively late-maturing type of quality attacker and Ollie Watkins will regain his decisiveness. As a threat from midfield, Morgan Rogers is proving himself to have few equals in the division.
The futures of Rogers and Watkins, along with Emi Martinez, were the subject of quite intense speculation in the summer. It would be the flimsiest of excuses for losing two and drawing one of the three Premier League matches that took place before the transfer window closed, but there was an air of uncertainty around Villa in late August that cannot have helped.
Aston Villa's Dutch striker #17 Donyell Malen looks on during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on January 26, 2025.
Donyell Malen scored twice against Young Boys in Aston Villa's latest Europa League win
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Since that transfer window closed, Villa have won six, drawn two and lost one. That is a nice run of form that should be extended when Wolverhampton Wanderers are the visitors to Villa Park.
Emery has a core of players in their prime and he has plenty who should, like Malen, mature into very effective Premier League operators. Players, for example, such as Evann Guessand and Ian Maatsen.
It is a well-balanced squad and, importantly, it has a very well-balanced manager. Yes, he’s a manager who chooses to shy away from the acclaim … but this season is now an opportunity for his players to give him no choice.