Saturday evening at Stamford Bridge was a challenging one for Enzo Maresca. The Chelsea manager found himself relegated to the press box, serving a touchline ban, and could only observe as Unai Emery, his counterpart, orchestrated a series of strategic second-half substitutions that turned the tide of the match, earning widespread acclaim.

While Maresca might still be hunting for elusive validation, Emery stands on firmer ground. The Aston Villa manager is held in high regard by the club’s fans and players alike. His passionate celebrations on the touchline when Ollie Watkins netted the winning goal were a testament to his connection with the team. “He is a tactical genius,” Watkins remarked about Emery after the game.

As the season reaches its midpoint, various polls have already hailed Emery as a contender for manager of the season. Aston Villa’s impressive form, challenging the league leaders, has left little room for debate about his credentials.

Emery’s influence has gone beyond accolades, profoundly impacting his players’ performances. Morgan Rogers stands out as a prime example, emerging as one of the top performers in the Premier League. His dominance grew as the match against Chelsea progressed, overshadowing his friend, Cole Palmer, who struggled after a promising start and appeared disheartened when substituted in the second half.

Rogers, alongside John McGinn, was inspirational on the pitch. But it was Emery’s strategic timing of Watkins’ introduction that proved decisive. Aston Villa’s remarkable run of 11 consecutive victories across all competitions and eight straight Premier League wins speaks volumes about Emery’s impact. His meticulous preparation, relentless work ethic, and sharp tactical insights have earned him admiration and respect.

Unai Emery made a flurry of second half subs for Villa that changed the game against Chelsea

Ollie Watkins scored twice from the bench and Morgan Rogers continued his hot run of form

That, as a collective, Villa have won 11 straight games in all competitions and eight successive matches in the Premier League, is a measure of the Emery effect and a tribute to a man who has become admired for his exhaustive preparation, his unrelenting work ethic, his tactical acuity and his attention to detail. 

After a terrible start to their league campaign, Villa’s victory over Chelsea was their 11th in succession, equalling a club record set in September 1897 and March 1914. They have now won eight consecutive top-flight games for the first time since a run of nine between October and December 1910. 

That Emery had the strength and the consistency of approach and the faith in his methods to turn things around after that start, when many were prophesying doom and saying that he had run out of steam at Villa, is another tribute to his ability and his character. 

Villa have fast become the feel-good story of the season. They have not quite come from nowhere as Leicester City did when they shocked the football world by winning the title in 2015-16, but victories this season over Arsenal, Manchester United and now Chelsea have prompted many to ask whether another outsider might be about to smash the dominance of the elite. 

Villa now stand just one point behind Manchester City, who are second, and three points adrift of Arsenal, Emery’s former charges. They face the next big test of their title credentials when they visit the Emirates on Tuesday evening. If they win in north London, even Emery may have to accept that they have to be counted as genuine title candidates. 

Many neutrals will be rooting for him, too, not just because Villa will be underdogs but also because of the way he was patronised and ridiculed when he took over from Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager in 2018 and forced out of the club after 18 months without being given a real chance.

Enzo Maresca sat in the press box as he served a touchline ban during Chelsea’s defeat

Emery will return to Arsenal next, where he was ridiculed after taking over from Arsene Wenger

Emery’s treatment in that period should sit on the wider conscience of English football for what it says about our insularity and our conservatism. Emery was a widely respected coach who had won three successive Europa League titles with Sevilla and the Ligue 1 title in France, with PSG, and yet he was laughed out of town in his first spell here because he could not speak English as well as many demanded. 

It is testament to his strength of character, as well as his ability as a manager, that he came back for more after that bruising first spell. Villa also deserve credit for having the vision and the faith that he was an awful lot better than he was allowed to be in his cursed time at The Emirates. 

Emery does not need to make a point when he goes back to Arsenal. He will be desperate to win but he does not have anything to prove. His sacking was Arsenal’s loss, even if Mikel Arteta, who replaced him, has built the Gunners back into a formidable outfit. If they had given Emery better backing, Arsenal could have got to this point earlier.

Villa were a team whose ambitions this season were supposed to be hobbled by the Premier League’s spending restrictions but Emery has proved again that sometimes, brilliant coaching and a focussed, unified club hierarchy, are more valuable than throwing money at the wall.