Former Aston Villa defender Micah Richards has told Unai Emery’s side what they need to do to rival Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League title race.
Unai Emery has transformed Aston Villa into one of the most feared teams in the division.
From being in a relegation battle when he arrived in November 2022 to now being in the mix for the Premier League title, the Spaniard has conducted one of the most incredible turnarounds in the history of the competition.
He’s improved their league position drastically by getting the best out of every one of his players and moulded them into world-beating stars.
Pau Torres has been magnificent at the back and they’ve desperately missed him while he’s been out injured.
Douglas Luiz has been the lynchpin in their midfield alongside Boubacar Kamara, and the Brazilian has popped up with some vitally important goals, including the 89th-minute winner against Burnley last time out.
When Emery arrived at the club, Leon Bailey was a shell of his former explosive and skilful self, but now he’s one of the most in-form players in the division having scored three goals and supplied two assists in his last seven matches.
The icing on top of the cake has been the improvement of Ollie Watkins, who is rivalling the likes of Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot.
The Englishman has been nothing short of sensational and many, including Micah Richards, has pinned Villa’s hopes of winning the title on him.
Micah Richards believes Villa have to play through Ollie Watkins
A return of nine goals and 10 assists this term – the most of any player in the top flight – suggests Villa are heavily reliant on the 28-year-old to create and score chances.
In the victory over Burnley, he supplied two assists on a plate for Moussa Diaby and Bailey while receiving plaudits for using his intelligence and the creative side of his game.
Richards believes he’s so integral to everything they do and if he was to get injured, it would leave their chances of winning the title in tatters.
Speaking on the Rest Is Football Podcast, he said: “We’ve talked about improving and sometimes getting into those areas and not being clinical, ruthless, but it’s the work he does off the ball. His all-round game has improved dramatically, 10 assists is amazing.
“They need to play through him, I just think if he was to get injured, they’d become a different team and that’s why I think Man City and Liverpool for the title this year unless they were to go into the market in January.”
The former Manchester City man has called for Villa to dip into the market for the striker, but Emery has already said he’s very happy with Watkins, and is reluctant to sign anyone given he has Jhon Duran in reserve.
That said, Richards is right about one thing. If the Englishman was to suffer a spell on the sidelines, their Premier League title chances and perhaps even their Champions League hopes would fall to pieces.
