Unai Emery's perfectionism reaches new heights as Aston Villa boss reflects on first 50 games in charge

Aston Villa may be soaring into the Premier League title race as the division's surprise package of 2023/24 but Unai Emery is refusing to get too excited – and the Spaniard is still kicking himself over defeats that happened LAST season.

The three-time UEFA Europa League winner has always been a perfectionist but that mentality has now been exemplified further by his refusal to forget the mistakes of the past, even during the exhilarating and unforeseen heights of the current campaign.

Villa's stunning 1-0 victory over champions Manchester City on Wednesday evening was Emery's 50th game in charge but it feels like he's been in B6 far longer. Birmingham World asked the 52-year-old how he reflects on his first half-a-century of matches and, rather unsurprisingly, he's still thinking about the defeats he feels were avoidable.

“I can come back in my mind and think how we were when we started this process. We lost against Leicester and Arsenal at home, 4-2. We couldn’t concede eight goals in two matches at home like we did," Emery admitted, looking just as aggrieved as he did 10 months ago.

"It was a key moment when we reacted in a meeting with the players, focusing more on our idea and our style, building and being very demanding in it. I think the players reacted very well and I think we are still being very demanding and keeping it," Emery said.

Emery claims Villa 'behind seven teams' in title race

The Villans are now in third place in the Premier League – above City and four points below leaders Arsenal. Emery's side play host to the Gunners this Saturday, providing an opportunity to move to within just one point. Still, however, Emery remains grounded.

"We are not contenders, there are seven teams more contenders. This is day 15 and day 16 is against Arsenal. We must focus. We are happy to be third, but to keep it will be very difficult. While we are there we will try to keep it," Emery said on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola, who suffered his first-ever defeat to an Emery side midweek, has an entirely different opinion. The five-time Premier League champion believes Villa are very much in the fight for the title, let alone the Champions League places.

Saturday's game against Arsenal doesn't just give the Villans the chance to prove their credentials further, but claiming three points would break the all-time club record of consecutive home top-tier victories. The stakes have rarely been higher.