Villa have been here before - but are they really in title race?

Media caption,

Aston Villa come from behind with Ollie Watkins' second-half double

By

Chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Aston Villa's fans believe it. Aston Villa's players look like they believe it. Unai Emery will never say if he believes it.

One thing, however, can no longer be denied - Aston Villa must now be taken seriously as Premier League title contenders.

Emery met the inevitable question about whether Villa can mount a challenge with the straightest of bats: "Not really. We are competing very well. We are third in the league behind Arsenal and Manchester City. Wow."

Wow indeed.

Emery demonstrated he is not only the master of strategy, but also expectation management.

It took until Villa were in sight of a dramatic victory at Chelsea, where they came from behind to win 2-1 through substitute Ollie Watkins' header six minutes from time, until the deafening songs of belief rang around Stamford Bridge.

But the evidence is compelling:

• Villa's victory was their 11th in succession, equalling a club record set in September 1897 and March 1914. They have now won eight consecutive top-flight games for the first time since a run of nine between October and December 1910.

• At the end of matchday five this season, Villa sat 18th and were without a Premier League victory. From matchday six onwards, they have won more games and more points than any other side.

• Villa have never had more points after 18 games of a Premier League season than their current tally of 39.

The statistics state an eloquent case.

Emery may deflect title talk, but his body of work at Villa and the Midas touch he displays - match-winner Watkins described his manager as a "tactical genius" - means they are now right at the heart of the conversation at the top of the table.

Villa's acid test may just come in their next game, when they face league leaders Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, 30 December (20:15 GMT) but Emery has made a habit of making life difficult for his former club.

He ticks every box for an elite manager, taking Villa into the Champions League last season, only missing out on this term's competition on the final day of the last campaign, and now taking them just three points from the top of the table and only a point behind Manchester City.

Another figure of significance is that Villa's win means they are now 10 points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea, a position they would have accepted with gratitude after failing to win any of their first five league games.

Emery proved his pedigree when he acted to galvanise a stuttering Villa display just before the hour as they trailed to Joao Pedro's messy 37th-minute goal, the striker touching home Reece James' corner in a scramble.

With Villa going nowhere but the game still in the balance, Emery sent on Watkins, Amadou Onana and Jadon Sancho for Donyell Malen, John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia.

The impact was stunning, Watkins equalising inside four minutes then powering home a header for the winner.

Emery did what the best managers do - he took the big decisions that turned a game which looked to be getting away from Villa on its head.

Watkins was the spearhead that led Villa's renaissance, coming off the bench with fierce intent to send the travelling fans wild with delight in their corner of Stamford Bridge.

Emery described Watkins as "mature and a very important player", delivering the perfect example by swallowing any disappointment he may have felt at being left out to punish Chelsea when he came on.

This season has not been straightforward for the 29-year-old former Brentford striker, with just three Premier League goals to his name before Saturday.

"It's been a difficult season for him," said former England captain Wayne Rooney, working as a pundit on Match of the Day. "But the moment he came on he looked very sharp and his energy and movement was top class.

"Players don't like coming off the bench, but his reaction has been excellent.

"Sometimes it takes getting left out of the team to re-energise yourself and those goals could give him the confidence to have a huge impact in the second half of the season as we all know his qualities."

Media caption,

We won't speak about our league target until game 34 - Emery

Alan Shearer touched on the Emery factor as one reason Villa could yet defy his own belief they will not win the title.

"We are nearly halfway through the season and you have to say that Aston Villa are genuine title contenders," said Shearer, also a Match of the Day pundit.

"Do I think they'll win it? No, but that is purely because the depth of their squad isn't quite there. But anything is possible under Unai Emery.

"His game management is superb as he showed yet again with his three subs at Stamford Bridge. They weren't in the game in the first half, but the introduction of Ollie Watkins, Jadon Sancho and Amadou Onana was inspired.

"His team just does not know when they are beaten.

"Where would they be if they had not had such an awful start? To think where they were after no wins in five to this incredible club-record run is quite something. They are 10 points clear of fifth now which will delight Emery. What they are doing is great for the Premier League - it's brilliant.

"They go to the Emirates next and what a game that is going to be."

Emery is not even prepared to whisper it, but Villa's performances are screaming out for him.

This outstanding manager takes his team to Arsenal on Tuesday having placed themselves right at the heart of the title race.