Unai Emery’s incredible Aston Villa points record compared to Arsenal & Man Utd
The purse strings have been loose at Aston Villa since the Midlands giant returned to the Premier League in 2019.
Only five clubs in England's top flight have spent more on transfers over the last four years, with Villa splurging more than £400m. However, perhaps the best bit of business since promotion cost just £5.2m, one-fifth of a Diego Carlos.
Villa triggered Unai Emery's buyout clause in October, eventually installing the four-time Europa League winner at the helm of a relegation-battling outfit at the start of November.
Since Emery's first game in charge - a convincing 3-1 victory over Manchester United - only league-leading Arsenal have collected more Premier League points. Indeed, Ten Hag's United, lauded by many for their improvement, have picked up two less points in the same timeframe.
The Villans extended the club's stellar form under Emery, which now stands at 35 points from 17 games played, with a convincing 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, climbing up to sixth.
It is the club's highest position in the second half of a Premier League season since 2009/10 and represents a remarkable surge from 15th place, the position in which the club resided when Emery was first appointed.
Villa had the better of a tight first half in Birmingham, limiting Forest to just two shots in the opening 45 minutes. Despite a reputation for cautionary football, Villa have leaned upon their attacking resolve under Emery - only Arsenal and Manchester City have scored more league goals since the Spaniard's arrival.
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Bertrand Traore was introduced at half time and coolly picked out the bottom corner within two-and-a-half minutes of his arrival. Fresh from nabbing an 87th-minute winner against Leicester City on Tuesday night, Traore was on target again, collecting the rebound from his own cross before tucking a composed finish beyond the reach of Keylor Navas.
Forest boast the worst away record in the division and scarcely looked like adding to either meagre tally of six points and five goals on their travels this season.
Villa hardly peppered Navas' net but were comfortably the better side throughout. The hosts ultimately had their superiority rewarded in the dying embers of the contest with yet another goal from the insatiable Ollie Watkins.
The beleaguered yellow shirts of Steve Cooper's disorganised side could not pounce upon a heavy touch from Watkins in a mess of a penalty box. Navas dove at his feet while Felipe hauled his hulking frame into the grass behind his on-rushing keeper while Watkins coolly dinked over the desperate duo.
Watched on by Prince William and his son George, Villa's royally in-form forward has now scored nine goals in his last 11 Premier League games. Since Emery's first match - which Watkins didn't find the net in incidentally - only Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Erling Haaland have scored more top-flight goals than the 27-year-old.
While Villa can entertain genuine ambitions of European football next season - a level of competition in which Emery famously thrives - Forest slipped into the relegation zone after Saturday's loss.
Forest's owner Evangelos Marinakis felt the need to put out a club statement backing Cooper after the midweek defeat against Leeds United. It remains to be seen whether that confidence remains after another reverse but there is no need for Villa to make any comment on Emery's performance; the results speak for themselves.
On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey, Toby Cudworth & Tom Gott discuss Chelsea's decision to sack Graham Potter, Man City and Real Madrid's interest in Josko Gvardiol, the futures of William Saliba, Kai Havertz, Randal Kolo Muani & more!
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