Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has urged caution amid speculation over the club’s Premier League title chances, despite overseeing historic form that has seen Villa equal a club record with 11 consecutive wins in all competitions.

The 54-year-old Spaniard’s side currently sits third in the Premier League, three points behind leaders Arsenal, and will face Emery’s former club at the Emirates on Tuesday (20:15 GMT). However, Emery continues to temper expectations, emphasizing focus on individual matches rather than broader title ambitions.

Emery Focuses on the Present

“To speak about the title does not make sense for us. Now, in December, it does not make sense. We are motivated and excited, but for the moment we are motivated for the match we play tomorrow,” Emery said.

Villa’s momentum has been impressive, with eight straight Premier League victories forming part of their 11-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win at Chelsea extended their lead over fourth-placed Liverpool to seven points, while they sit ten above fifth-placed Chelsea.

Club Record and Tactical Excellence

Emery stressed that Villa’s success stems from more than just results.
“With how we are performing, we can feel proud of everything we are building — tactically, mentally, individually. We are trying to feel inside as a family; we are spending more time here than with family,” he explained.

The manager acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming challenge against Arsenal, describing them as “the best team” and emphasizing the importance of preparation, structure, and mentality over headline-grabbing title talk.

“With three points difference between them and us, this is our motivation,” Emery said. “The next challenge is very difficult, the most difficult challenge we can face now.”

Recent Victories Highlight Villa’s Strength

Villa have shown resilience throughout the season, including a last-gasp winner by Emi Buendia against Arsenal earlier in December and second-half heroics from Ollie Watkins in the Chelsea comeback. Emery highlighted the importance of humility and focus, acknowledging that opponents like Arsenal will aim to respond following previous defeats.

“We must be proud of everything we’re doing, but we must be humble and confident, and we must be ambitious as well,” he said. “Arsenal are playing fantastic, being so strong in everything. They are getting better and better. We are motivated to face them, and this is the next step forward. Our test is how we can face them with our structure.”

Looking Ahead

As Aston Villa continue their club-record winning streak, Emery is determined to keep his squad grounded, focusing on each fixture as it comes. With key matches against Arsenal and other top teams on the horizon, the challenge for Villa is maintaining consistency, tactical discipline, and the team spirit that has driven their remarkable December form.