Unai Emery is enjoying an incredible spell at Aston Villa, currently occupying second place after 20 games, and if his points per game statistic is anything to go by – the Villans could be in with a real chance at lifting the Premier League title.
Aston Villa have hit the ground running in the Premier League this season, and find themselves occupying second place as we enter the second half of the campaign.
They are above reigning treble winners Manchester City, last season’s runners-up Arsenal, as well as the likes of Tottenham, West Ham, Brighton, Manchester United and Newcastle, and are just three points behind Jurgen Klopp’s table-topping Liverpool side.
This has been done alongside their first European campaign since 2010/11 too, as they finished top of their Conference League group ahead of Legia Warsaw, AZ Alkmaar and Zrinjski Mostar to book their spot in the last-16.
Perhaps their biggest achievement of the season came at the start of Decemeber though, as they defeated Manchester City and Arsenal back-to-back at Villa Park to achieve a new club-record of 15 consecutive home league wins, breaking their previous records from 1903 and 1931.
Emery Statistic Bodes Well For Villa Title Hopes
Villa haven’t tasted top flight glory since the 1980/81 season, where they finished four points clear at the top of the First Division ahead of Ipswich Town to lift England’s most coveted trophy for the seventh time in their history, and for the first time since 1909/10.
Could that be about to change? Well, it’ll take some doing to pip Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal to the title, however Emery’s points per game statistic since arriving at Villa Park suggests that they have a better chance than what many may think.
Emery is currently averaging 2.02 points per game in the top flight with the Villans after amassing 91 points in 45 games. This sees him become the first manager in Premier League history to manage more than 40 matches with a club, averaging more than two points per game, and not win a title.
That average could be even higher, and they could have been at the top of the table too, had they not dropped points to Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Manchester United since the start of November.
The Villans have bounced back since though, recording back-to-back wins over Burnley and Middlesbrough in the league and FA Cup. Next up, they head to Goodison Park for a tough battle against Everton on Sunday afternoon, followed by a trip to the capital at the end of the month to take on Chelsea in the cup.
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