Aston Villa’s progression under Unai Emery has been remarkable but there is one thing that would truly cement his place as the greatest manager in the club’s history.
When Unai Emery took charge of Aston Villa in October 2022, he inherited a squad that was scarred by the Steven Gerrard horrorshow at Villa Park.
Most of his players lacked confidence and a winning mentality after spending most of Gerrard’s tenure battling at the bottom of the Premier League.
Fast forward two years from his appointment and the difference is light and day. Emery’s men returned to the Champions League last season, finishing in fourth, and are now holding their own against Europe’s elite.
Villa fans will still be pinching themselves given their club’s transformation under the Spaniard however, one former player has now explained how they can reach the next level.
- READ MORE: The incredible lengths Unai Emery has now gone to in training to turn Aston Villa form around
Stiliyan Petrov on how Aston Villa can challenge for Premier League title
From being embroiled in a relegation dogfight to now permanent challengers of Europe, Monchi’s transfer strategy has transformed Aston Villa into a Champions League outfit.
The next step for Emery and his players is attempting to bridge the gap between them and the trio of title challengers; Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.
Currently, Villa are one point behind third-place Chelsea and 10 adrift of table toppers Liverpool, who have made a lightning-fast start under Arne Slot.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 7 |  FulhamFulham | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| 8 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 18 |
| 9 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 |  TottenhamTottenham | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 16 |
Former Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov believes the key ‘problem’ holding them back is consistency, though he claims increased financial power and attracting world-class players can see them close the gap.
“It will be difficult,” Petrov told Football365. “The problem is the consistency over the season.
“You can say that if it’s not Man City it’s Liverpool, if it’s not Liverpool then Arsenal are also there. Those teams, the champions, hardly lose more than five games and this is what Villa need to understand.
“Villa are going in the right direction and this season is really important because Villa want to show that they can challenge that position.
“They have to be consistent, they have to bring more finances, they have to attract better players and they have to build up to bridge that gap. At the moment, I think there is a bigger gap but in the future with the owners still ambitious, they can go far.”
Silverware would complete Emery’s legacy
It’s not imperative but it would be a huge shame if Emery’s spell at Aston Villa came to an end without winning silverware.
Admittedly, the Spaniard will have many years left in the managerial hot seat to fulfil that dream but their dreams this term took a huge hit after losing to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
That is because their chances of lifting the Premier League title or Champions League trophy are incredibly slim, and they will have to rely on an FA Cup run.
| Unai Emery’s Aston Villa record | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points Per Match |
| Statistics | 100 | 53 | 19 | 28 | 1.78 |
Emery became the quickest manager in Villa history to 50 wins and that isn’t the only accolade he’s eyeing this term, as he aims to bring silverware back to Villa Park for the first time since 1996.
