The Spaniard may not have won a treble – but he has done a far more impressive job, transforming a relegation-threated team into title contenders
Unai Emery began his post-match interview with his customary "Good evening". It was much better than that, though. Try 'great'. Or 'historic' even. Talk to any Aston Villa fan that was present for Wednesday night's victory over Manchester City and they'll tell you it was one of the finest performances they've seen from their side in the Premier League era.
The hosts didn't just beat the champions; they outplayed them. It was a 1-0 hammering; a record-breaking beating. Villa had 22 shots on goal; City were restricted to just two – both of which arrived in the 11th minute.
Think about that for a second: the treble-winners didn't trouble their opponents' goalkeeper for the remaining 80-odd minutes of the game. They didn't even apply any serious pressure, failing to force a single corner.
When have you ever seen a Pep Guardiola side dominated in such fashion? Never, is the answer. We're talking about the worst numbers ever posted by a side coached by the Catalan across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.
Obviously, Villa's players deserve enormous credit for the way in which they went about dismantling the champions. Their energy levels were astounding. They ran City ragged for 90 minutes, pressing them to death in the final third.
However, the mastermind behind the best performance of the Premier League season so far was Emery, the best manager of the Premier League season so far.
Getty ImagesGerrard leaves Villa in a mess
Just over a year ago, Aston Villa were in freefall. After a bright start to Steven Gerrard's reign, the Liverpool legend's tenure had turned toxic. The fans were bitterly disillusioned, the players bereft of confidence.
After a 3-0 loss at Fulham – a game that midfielder John McGinn said he felt "embarrassed to be part of" – the supporters demanded a change of manager.
Villa chief executive Christian Purslow had no option but to heed the call, admitting that the "objective of continuous improvement" had not been achieved – which was something of an understatement.
Villa had won just two league games – and scored only seven goals – during the first three months of the season and, when Gerrard was sacked on October 22, they were only above the relegation zone on goals scored.
AdvertisementOne of the great Premier League turnarounds
Now, they sit third in the table, while Villa Park has become arguably the most intimidating venue in the Premier League. On Saturday, Villa host Arsenal having won their past 14 home games. If they make it a club-record 15 victories in a row, they'll draw to within a point of the current leaders.
Make no mistake about it: this is one of the most dramatic and rapid turnarounds in Premier League history. Emery is making a complete mockery of the idea that Mauricio Pochettino needs more time to transform Chelsea's outrageously expensive squad into top-four challengers, given the impact he made at Villa Park was instantaneous.
So, how did Emery do it? How did he take a team that was in danger of the drop to third in the table in just over a year? How did Emery rebuild a reputation that was in tatters after his dismissal as Arsenal boss four years ago?
GettyEmery's work ethic and eye for detail
Ollie Watkins stated in an interview with the last season that Emery is "very demanding". The manager freely admits that himself. He knows he asks an awful lot of players. Some respond positively; others do not. Which goes some way towards explaining why his time at both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain ended prematurely.
At Villa Park, though, Emery inherited a group of players willing to do whatever it took to stop the rot. Team meetings spent poring over video analysis may have lasted for hours but the squad embraced the new manager's methods because the meticulous attention to detail quickly reaped rewards, with Villa winning six of their first seven Premier League games under the Spaniard.
It also helped that Emery was willing to lead by example, often spending 16 hours a day at the training ground. Hardly surprising, then, that the players were willing to work hard for a manager that was working so hard for them.
GettyAn adventurous approach
Emery didn't just unite Villa, though; he also gave them a clear identity and a progressive, proactive playing style. This was huge, given the team had lost all semblance of structure under Gerrard, who changed formation four times during the start of the 2022-23 campaign.
Emery has not been afraid to make tactical tweaks – particularly against opponents of contrasting styles – but immediately brought stability and solidity to the starting line-up by relying on certain key players, such as Emiliano Bunedia and Tyrone Mings.
Furthermore, while the former Villarreal boss is known as a conservative coach, he's actually quite adventurous. He wanted Villa to play the ball out from the back by utilising Emiliano Martinez more, while he also implemented a high line and a high press to great effect.
"You have to take risks in football," Emery explained in an interview with . "I am trying to keep possession of the ball. When we have the ball with the goalkeeper, we are starting our build-up. If he is kicking the ball long, some we will win and some we will lose. I prefer to try to keep the ball ourselves."
The bold approach paid off spectacularly. After a wobble in February, Villa won 10 of their final 15 Premier League games to finish seventh in the Premier League, thus securing qualification for continental competition for the first time since 2010-11.