Emery has helped Aston Villa boasting one of the best home records in the EPL
Perhaps Unai Emery’s greatest achievement as he celebrates his first anniversary as Aston Villa manager is turning Villa Park into a proper fortress in an era where consistency at home is statistically more difficult than ever.
Emery, appointed on October 24 last year, will seek Villa’s 11th Premier League home win in a row against West Ham Sunday. To put that run into context, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool were the only other clubs to also win their first three this season.
Should Villa achieve another three points, it would represent their best home run since 13-in-a-row in 1983 when they were reigning European champions.
Emery’s Midas touch is made more impressive by the rut the Midlands side found themselves in under his predecessor, Steven Gerrard. Before this spurt of home successes, Villa had taken 30 matches to win 10 – and lost 13 of them.
There are a few reasons behind the great Villa Park transformation. Emery has been clever to capitalise on the fervent and re-energised support. His team go for the kill from the opening whistle at home.
In three of the games, Villa have led inside the opening 10 minutes, and on six occasions they have scored by the midway point of the first half. Only twice have they reached the interval still scoreless.
The rotation of the Gerrard era – with Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings often fighting for one spot – has gone.
Five key players have started all 10 of Villa’s victories; World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, influential central defender Ezri Konsa, the midfield axis of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz, and striker Watkins, whose good form has been rewarded with a recall to the England team, scoring the winner against Australia during the recent international break.
Watkins
Read on m.allfootballapp.com
