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Is this the year for Aston Villa's time?

Nine straight wins in every tournament - closing in on the club record of 11 achieved back in 1897 - have catapulted Unai Emery's side into the championship conversation.

This impressive streak has come following Villa failed to win any of their first five Premier League matches and were the last team in the league to score.

They face at home Manchester United on Sunday before playing away at Chelsea and facing leaders Arsenal to conclude 2026 - three games which could shape their potential to be spoilers or champions.

Villa have not lifted significant silverware since securing the League Cup in 1996 but, currently placed third in both the Premier League and Europa League, their long wait could be broken in dramatic fashion.

Emery's Cautious Approach

Unai Emery is not giving in to any external demands to announce Villa are challenging for the title.

However, the stats speak volumes, as their only Premier League defeat since August came against Liverpool in October, and from that point Villa have strung together six top-flight games.

Last Sunday's 3-2 comeback win over West Ham exemplified the strength of his side and the positive energy they now have.

"We are not feeling under pressure, we are feeling ambitious and we try to be competitive in Europe and in the Premier League," Emery said. "Enjoy each match, try to prepare then rest. The players must remain confident doing it."

Emery has been careful to avoid putting any extra attention on his Villa players. After all, they are earning enough attention through their excellent results.

Transformation from Struggles to Success

That current form is in stark contrast to a start of the season in which they were unable to win after their six opening games, including a Carabao Cup loss to Brentford, and did not even score in the league until a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 21 September.

The squad gathered for talks to evaluate their worrying beginning and talk about how to regain their form. There was a acknowledgement there had been a carry-over from missing out on the Champions League.

Villa came sixth last season and failed to reach the top five on goal difference after a debated loss by Manchester United on the final day.

Since the draw at the Stadium of Light they have triumphed in 15 out of 17 fixtures, including beating Manchester City 1-0 and this month's thrilling 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

There has also been evolution rather than revolution under Emery, as seven first-teamers who played in the head coach's first match - a 3-1 victory against United in November 2022 - are still crucial now.

Learning from Past Campaigns

"The last year is an model and it's an experience for us. Sometimes we were playing excellently, we were reaching our goals, but maybe if we were getting our demands higher, maybe even we could go further," Emery stated.

He added, "This is the third season I am here, I am really very motivated, but [also] holding higher standards than when I arrived here. My objective has plenty of areas to work on."

Ending the Long Wait

The most recent occasion Villa claimed a significant honour - beating Leeds 3-0 in the League Cup - feels like a different era.

It has been a long wait since, with Villa falling in two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals over the years.

Emery, a UEFA Europa League champion with Sevilla and Villarreal, stated on his arrival that the main goal was to secure silverware. Last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat remains painful.

A Europa Conference League semi-final defeat 18 months ago and a thrilling Champions League quarter-final exit last April demonstrate their progress.

"Every time we go into a major match now, we have that determination in the back of our heads to show this team we have built over the past five or six years is capable of more than a quarter-final, worth more than a semi-final," captain John McGinn told reporters. "The determination, I can see it this year."

The decisive run begins now, with Villa poised to discover if they are destined to be champions or merely influential players in the title race.