'Pound for pound' - Stan Collymore draws Aston Villa & Arsenal comparison amid Premier League title race claim
Stan Collymore weighs in on the Premier League title race.
Former Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore has shared his contentious thoughts on the Villans’ chances of winning the Premier League.
Villa recently went on an incredible 11-game winning run and were - at one stage - Europe’s most in-form team. It’s not been quite as good since as the Villans lost away at Arsenal to end that hot streak and drew 0-0 away at Crystal Palace, though they’ve still managed to beat Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur since the turn of the year.
Collymore, who made 60 appearances and scored 13 goals for Villa between 1997 and 2000, has been keeping close tabs on his former club. The 54-year-old admits it has been a superb season so far but believes Villa have been ‘maxing out’ in every game and won’t be able to continue at such a remarkable rate.
Collymore: Emery right to avoid title race chatter
Unai Emery has been careful not to be dragged into any talk of a title race, emphasising there are still many games to go and that anything can change based on a few poor results. Emery likes to suggest Villa are not ‘contenders’ as much as other top sides, even those way behind in the standings.
Collymore respects Emery’s perspective and thinks it’s the right way to go about things. In a recent interview with BetWright betting, Collymore admitted Emery has been correct in his approach of ignoring talk of any potential fight with Premier League leaders Arsenal and 10-time champions Manchester City.
When asked whether he likes Emery avoiding title race questions and insisting that it’s just a game at a time, Collymore responded: ”Yeah, I do, I don’t think that Aston Villa are in a title race, purely because they are maxing out in every game.
“Logic dictates that they won’t be able to keep churning out performances at the levels they are, if you look at the bench and the depth of the squad, they were bringing on two FA Youth Cup winners against Arsenal, who are bringing on the likes of Ebere Eze and Leandro Trossard. It’s just not possible.”
Villa ‘pound for pound’ the best
Skipper John McGinn may not be lifting the Premier League trophy in Collymore’s mind, then, but that doesn’t mean the former Villan doesn’t think Emery’s side are the top flight’s best in another way. Collymore is seriously impressed with how Emery has overseen his squad and the timings of his decisions.
“The way that Unai Emery has managed minutes has been the best of any in the Premier League,” Collymore added. “He’s given Ollie Watkins breaks, he’s given the likes of Donyell Malen - who’s been exceptional - a rest when he’s needed it. He’s attempted to juggle the midfield around to give John McGinn a rest...
“If you look at the job Emery has done, if you analyse it properly, what he has done is pound for pound the best of any side in the Premier League, even above Arsenal. In terms of a title race, forget it. Villa will be aware that the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea have the squad depth to reel them back in, so if they can finish inside the top four, I think they’d take it.”