When Unai Emery took over, Aston Villa sat 17th in the Premier League on nine points from 11 matches, clinging to safety on goal difference. The club was drifting toward the Championship. Optimism had vanished. Big-name signings like Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Leander Dendoncker, and Lucas Digne were meant to push Villa into the European conversation under the stewardship of Steven Gerrard. Instead, they were mired in chaos. On October 21st, 2022, the Unai Emery revolution quietly began. A turning point that would rewrite Villa’s trajectory and reawaken belief at Villa Park.
When the club announced Emery, fans were divided. Some were intrigued by the prospect of a three-time Europa League winner and a manager who guided several clubs to the Champions League. Other sections of the Villa faithful were skeptical of this appointment and pointed to the rocky stint he had at Arsenal. No one was equipped for what was about to happen at Villa Park next.
Emery's first task was clear: stabilize and avoid relegation. Emery wasted no time. In his debut match, Villa produced a brilliant 3-1 win over Manchester United. From that moment on, Villa became a model of consistency, losing just six of their remaining 24 matches. Emery also became the first Villa manager since John Gregory to win his first three away games. That initial spark turned into sustained momentum for the Villans. Emery imprinted his philosophy, the methodical, possession-based system built on structure, discipline, and clarity. This was a stark contrast to the chaos under Gerrard.
The Villa players thrived under the new regime. Each game became a tactical masterclass in tailored preparation. Teams were analyzed in detail. The fullbacks tucked into midfield to create numerical superiority. The high line, risky, became a tool of control. Pressing wasn’t frantic; it was timed, rehearsed, and targeted.
Ollie Watkins evolved into a complete forward under Emery, stretching defenses with intelligent movement and clinical finishing. Douglas Luiz went from inconsistent to indispensable. John McGinn was reborn in a more defined role. When the dust settled that season, Villa ended the season in seventh and clinched a spot in the UEFA Conference League. Villa closed out the campaign as one of the in-form teams in Europe.
If the 2022/2023 season was the spark of the revolution, then the 2023/2024 season was the ignition. With a full preseason, Emery turned Villa into one of the EPL’s most complete sides in under a year.
By the end of November, Unai Emery had taken charge of the same number of games as Steven Gerrard. The results were striking. Under Emery, Aston Villa amassed 77 points in that span, compared to just 44 under Gerrard. While a defender of Gerrard might highlight that his defensive record was comparable to Emery’s, the key distinction lies in their philosophies. Towards the end of Gerrard's time at Villa, his team lacked an identity.
Frequently altering lineups and tactics in search of results. Compared to Emery, who has instilled a defined system for his Villa team, hallmarks of any successful manager. When a manager doesn't waver from his principles, the players and the club will reap the benefits.
Statistic | Emery | Gerrard |
|---|---|---|
Win | 24 | 12 |
Draws | 5 | 8 |
Loses | 9 | 18 |
Goals Scored | 71 | 45 |
Goals Conceded | 44 | 50 |
Clean Sheets | 11 | 10 |
As the 2023/2024 season continued to unfold, Villa’s home form became the catalyst for their success. The pressing was sharper, and the belief amongst all members, players, and supporters of Aston Villa started to be unshakeable.
Villa finished fourth, the club's highest finish in decades, securing Champions League football for the first time in the modern era. In Europe, they reached the Conference League semi-finals. All of this validated the early progression seen under Emery. The groundwork was now laid.
Heading into the 2024/2025 season, expectations changed. Villa were no longer punching above their weight, they were part of the conversation. Emery responded with quiet confidence. The squad, carefully built around his philosophy. With the signings of Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen, and Ross Barkley, to name a few, the Villans were ready for the demands of domestic and European competition.
This season, Villa showed they could compete on multiple fronts. Emery rotated the squad effectivity, managed the injuries that accrued, and elevated players. Despite exits in the Champions League and domestic cup competitions, Villa remains in the hunt for the top four, adapting without losing their identity.
Stats don’t always tell us a story, but in the case of Emery, they paint a picture of quality and growth. Across the first 99 games in charge of the Villans, Emery has amassed 53 wins, 21 draws, and 25 losses, which, accrued 180 points, or 1.82 points per match. Emery’s Villa scored 172 goals and conceded 136, reflecting not just an attacking revolution, but a defensive one. Emery has also turned Villa Park into a fortress. Villa’s home record under Emery is dominant.
This season, Villa has produced the fifth-best home record in the EPL with a win ratio of 55%, xG (expected goals) of 32.27, and xGA (expected goals against) of 17.95. This only emphasizes Emery’s tactical revolution at Villa Park. But these numbers don’t just validate the present. They project the future.
Unai Emery didn’t just liberate Aston Villa; he redefined the Birmingham side. Emery also proved the doubters wrong and eradicated the stigma of his time at Arsenal. Emery has laid the foundation with his first 99 games in charge. Emery has transformed a club flirting with relegation into a Champions League contender, built a system that empowers and improves players, reignited belief across the fanbase, and made Villa Park a place where the world's best want to play.
Long stretch to come for Aston Villa
As Villa marches out of the tunnel on Friday against Tottenham. The 100-game mark isn’t the end of a chapter. It’s the prologue to something even bigger.
But the most impressive thing? None of this feels like overachievement anymore. This doesn’t feel like a team that will go on a run for 1-2 years and fade into midtable mediocrity or relegation. Villa’s rise isn’t a fairy tale; it’s a blueprint, with a clear identity backed by data, discipline, smart decisions, and ambition.
The question is no longer whether Villa can compete at the top, but how far Villa can go. Can they win silverware? Can they continue to compete with the European elite? What about a domestic cup title? Who is the next superstar to sign for Villa Park? Whose face will be on the next mural? What player will be etched into Villa’s folklore next?
For the first time in over a decade, these questions and conversations don’t feel out of place. They feel like a reality. Unai Emery’s first 99 games were a statement. The next 101 might be something even more powerful: a legacy.