Aston Villa

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Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Brazilian winger Alysson from Gremio.

In December, BBC Sport reported Villa had reached an agreement to buy the 19-year-old subject to a medical, with the deal initially worth £8.7m plus a further £1.8m in performance-related add-ons.

Villa add Alysson - a left-footed right winger who scored two goals and provided five assists in 43 appearances this year - to an attack featuring Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Evann Guessand, Jadon Sancho, Donyell Malen and Harvey Elliott.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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Is that it, then? Was Aston Villa's Premier League title run a three-week wonder, a fantasy bookended by two games against Arsenal?

Perhaps. But it doesn't matter. It is too early to tell for sure - and let me nod to David Michael's complaint on this page on Wednesday, suggesting all talk of titles is too early at this stage anyway. Unai Emery himself would no doubt also endorse that view.

So, let's qualify it a little and say Villa were being spoken of as contenders to Arsenal and Manchester City on account of having shown not only their ability to beat both those sides, but also to string together victories when playing well and when they weren't. Perhaps the title chatter is better viewed as a tacit acknowledgement that Villa may be ready to break out of the upper-middle group of Premier League clubs and bridge across to the top bracket.

The most significant factor holding them back may be squad depth, and there was evidence of this at Emirates Stadium.

For Arsenal, Gabriel scored on his first start for seven weeks and Gabriel Jesus built up his return from injury with his first goal in almost a year. In contrast, while Villa have handled injuries to Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings well enough, suspensions for Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara pulled more players away from their ideal positions. Amadou Onana's tight hamstring at half-time stretched the elastic a little too far.

Even though the final result was conclusive, Villa had made Arsenal fret in the first 45 minutes. One sharper finish might have given Villa a half-time lead and changed the character of the match decisively.

But all is not lost. Far from it.

Saturday's game against Nottingham Forest will tell us more about whether Villa have been knocked far off balance by the second half at the Emirates. A confident showing in that game would confirm they are still capable of chasing the leaders hard in the second part of the season.

The longer-term view is more important, however. Villa start the new year third in the Premier League and well placed to reach the knockout stage of the Europa League. Their objectives for the campaign are clearly within range.

Villa have begun each previous new year under Emery well positioned to take the club further forward, and the same is true at the dawn of 2026.

Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at 12:30 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio WM (95.6FM/DAB/Freeview 714)

Explore Aston Villa content on BBC Sounds

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

A normal Premier League season may run from August to May, but what happens if we stop the table now? What if it was only what happened in 2025 that counted?

With the calendar flicking over to 2026, this is the ideal time to check back on which teams have had an enjoyable 12 months and see who had a year to forget.

The top five is an accurate reflection of this season's top five (although it should be noted not all teams have played the same number of games).

Arsenal have led the way this campaign and, after coming up short last season, they will be striving to go one better to finally secure an elusive first Premier League trophy since 2004.

If looking just at the past 12 months, the title would be theirs, despite a number of draws early in 2025.

Having gone through their worst run of form under Pep Guardiola late in 2024 and early into 2025, alongside their initial poor start to this season, it may be surprising to find Manchester City so close at the top.

But a feature of this City side under Guardiola is their ability to recover from less than impressive starts and go on winning streaks - they are currently on a run of six wins in the league.

Aston Villa fans can look also back fondly on 2025, having experienced the return of Champions League football, secured more European football again this term and found themselves in a battle for the Premier League trophy.

They may have had a slow start this season but their general consistency in 2025 and a club record-equalling run of 11 straight wins in the final weeks catapults them into the top three.

Having won the title with ease last season, Liverpool fans can still revel in that achievement. But a drop-off at the end of 2024-25 and a poor run this time around leaves them fourth for the year.

Meanwhile, Chelsea made progress in 2025 under Enzo Maresca, with Champions League football and two bits of silverware, but a lack of consistency in a young team prevents them ascending higher than fifth.

When looking at the next five, there are perhaps some surprises.

With their FA Cup win, 2025 will go down in Crystal Palace's history, and their Premier League form has not been too shabby either as they compete with the teams that have occupied Champions League spots in recent seasons.

No Thomas Frank, Bryan Mbeumo or Yoane Wissa? No problem for Brentford. They may have had a summer of upheaval but that has not stopped the Bees buzzing as they continue to perform above expectations.

After a few years of struggles on and off the pitch, 2025 seems to be the one Everton fans can finally start to look up rather than down with the new stadium and return of David Moyes bringing much-needed stability.

Newcastle may have had a few ups and downs, but they have come good when needed and hold their own in the top six, while Brighton continue to establish themselves firmly in the top 10.

Find out how the bottom half of the table shapes up on the post below

Now, what about those who may have had a less enjoyable 2025?

Manchester United continue to try to find their feet under Ruben Amorim. And while there have been glimmers of progress in recent weeks, a torrid first half of the year has left them with much room for improvement (and a draw with Wolves to end 2025 only added to the questions).

Bournemouth and Fulham both seem to have found consistency in their ability to be inconsistent.

There have been bursts of form from both, but also bouts of disappointment they might rather forget.

As for Nottingham Forest, 2025 may have been the year they returned to Europe for the first time in nearly three decades, but when it came to results in the league, particularly this season, it has been more of one to forget.

Under their third head coach of the season, they will hope 2026 does not bring the return of Championship football.

Like Forest, Tottenham's 12 months has been memorable for both the good and the bad.

A first trophy in 17 years was secured in the Europa League, but it has been far from impressive in the Premier League, managing just 11 wins from 37 matches and some pressure already building on boss Thomas Frank.

One of the most notable things about the bottom end of the calendar year table is the presence of all three promoted teams, despite two of the three having played a game less than the relegated clubs of last season.

With Leeds nine points better off and Sunderland 17, it highlights the disparity in how well this year's promoted sides have done in comparison to the previous three.

For the Black Cats, it has been a dream return to the top flight, including a recent win over Tyne-Wear rivals Newcastle, and in this season's table they find themselves just two points off fifth.

After overcoming a difficult patch, Leeds are also enjoying their return to the top table, slowly pulling themselves away from the danger spots.

It has been more of a struggle for Scott Parker's Burnley, but they will not lose hope with still half a campaign to go.

After recent successes with European football, domestically things have become a harder watch for West Ham supporters as they struggle to find the balance between good football and much-needed results

Then there is Wolves - and fans may want to look away.

Despite playing 20 Premier League games more, the West Midlands side accumulated only one point more than Sunderland across the year.

A win this term still eludes them and safety in 2026 appears a distant dream.

Check out how the top half of the table looked in the post above

Liverpool are unlikely to welcome back Harvey Elliott from his loan move to Aston Villa, with the midfielder only making five appearances since the switch. (Liverpool Echo), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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David Michael
Fan writer

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Best memory and why

Being in the Parc des Princes when Villa went ahead against Paris St-Germain in a Champions League quarter-final was a great moment. While the feeling did not last long, the dream, and the realisation that there was an actual possibility of winning the Champions League, did briefly flicker through my mind.

In terms of raw emotion, it has to be the last-kick, game-winning goal against Arsenal at Villa Park, which rubber-stamped Villa's resurrection this season. It also gave fans a glimpse of what would have happened, limbs-wise, had Villa scored one more goal at Villa Park against PSG in their European second-leg clash and completed an incredible comeback.

Worst moment and why

The final-day defeat at Old Trafford, when a point would have ultimately secured Champions League football was a major downer and undermined what had otherwise been an exciting season. The damage had been done over the course of the campaign, but the performance on the day underlined how a recurring weakness in mentality had severely compromised the team's true potential.

If I could drink a New Year's brew with one member of our squad/management it would be...

Unai Emery. Simply to ask him the recipe to turning water into wine.

The thing that's infuriated me in 2025 is...

The content landfill of fans churning out TikTok score prediction videos is hard to ignore. Entirely pointless. Though perhaps not quite as infuriating as the media's attempt to force-feed the idea that Villa are in a title race at the halfway point of the season. That discussion is equally meaningless. If you are going to talk titles, at least wait until the daffodils start to appear in the ground. Anything before that is engagement noise.

My gut tells me 2026 will bring...

My gut (and brain) tells me that Villa will at least qualify for the Champions League next season. Anything else depends on staying clear of injuries and what Villa can do in the January window.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

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Aston Villa's defeat by Arsenal is "not the be-all and end-all of their season", says former England striker Ellen White.

Unai Emery's side, who had equalled a club-record 11 consecutive wins in all competitions prior to Tuesday's game, had their run brutally ended when the Gunners comprehensively beat them 4-1 at Emirates Stadium.

Nevertheless, Villa still remain well-placed in third in the Premier League table at the midway point of the campaign.

"Unai Emery alluded to it a little bit in his press conference when he was saying that they want to enjoy the moment. They don't want to think about the title and just enjoy each game," White told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"The fact that they have nearly broken a record for their most consecutive wins means I don't think this is a game they need to really focus on too much.

"Yes, it would have been absolutely amazing [to beat Arsenal] and it would have kept them even more in the conversation, but I think they need to focus on keeping in where they are in the Champions League spots, doing well in Europe as well.

"That's what they need to concentrate on. Yes, they obviously need to analyse this [defeat] but this isn't the be-all and end-all of their season now and their chances of European football for next season as well."

Ex-Villa forward Dion Dublin added: "I think this might be a silver lining. It might be they think: 'Hold on a minute, that's where we need to be so what do we need to do in order to get there?'"

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Mike: Thoroughly professional all-round performance against the league's in-form side. Improved shot to goal conversion that has been lacking the past few games was something Villa just couldn't live with. Great performance.

Vince: If nothing else, this win showed just how crucial the William Saliba and Gabriel defensive partnership is to Arsenal's title hopes. The boys made it look so easy against Villa - the league's third-placed club, no less - after previously struggling against lesser teams when either of those two was missing. Keep Sabriel (or Galiba) fit and healthy and we'll keep those title hopes burning bright!

Anwar: We were up against a tough side and the first half could've gone either way. 4-1 is a great result. Three points and we go five clear into the new year. Job done and pressure is now on Man City.

Paddy: All I can say is, Arsenal are champions, for sure.

Villa fans

Keith: We lost the game when Amadou Onana went off,we lost our midfield battle then. Without Boubacar Kamara and Onana we lost our bite. We were always going to lose at some time - it's how we react now in the next game that matters.

Prit: Some very soft goals and clearly not the finest hour for our goalkeeper or defenders. However, congratulations to Arsenal who were always on the front foot. If you told me that Villa would be six points off the top at the halfway mark, I would have been delighted. We need to build on this for the rest of the season. Glass very much half full.

Phill: Good first half, but then undone by sloppy mistakes, poor passing and holding up of the ball. Got to regroup and then go again against Nottingham Forest.

Tony: Gifting teams of Arsenal's level a goal is poor - Emi needs to punch that corner away. A shame as we were competing really well up to that point but 15 points from 18 in December so we can't be upset with that!

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery told BBC's Match of the Day: "So, so happy with the players and of course we must analyse this match, but overall we are getting the day 19 with the points we have and the week we did.

"Today we did very good first half, different to the match against Chelsea and of course we were competing well and even getting our momentum and creating chances. We did not concede a lot, no corners in the first half for them. But the second half the first goal changed everything and after it they pushed it. And we had as well the injury of Amadou Onana and we lost everything in the middle and they have the power they showed. And we finished losing. Now with the players, my analysis is after the match how we did here 90 minutes but overall the most important is try to understand overall how we are.

"The first goal, how they score it maybe could be foul but her in England it is more difficult because the referees they let to touch the keepers and it is difficult but we must accept because it's both sides."

On Villa's 11-game winning run ending: "Football is now. Football is now, how we are now. Everything we did was fantastic. More or less we are getting our way, we could expect a better way maybe because we are third in the league and Europa League very good, but try to analyse today and the players we have."

On why he went down the tunnel quickly and whether he was unhappy with anything: "No, when I finish the match I am always waiting to shake hands with another coach but he was with the coaches and I can't wait for him. Of course, I was there but no problem. I went to my dressing room."

Did you know?

• Aston Villa's defeat marked just the fourth time a Premier League team have seen a winning run of eight or more games ended by a defeat of 3+ goals, and the first since Liverpool's 18-game winning run was ended by a 3-0 defeat to Watford in February 2020.

• Villa's Ollie Watkins has scored a Premier League goal on his birthday in consecutive years, netting against Brighton in 2024. He's the third player to score on more than one birthday in the competition after Teddy Sheringham (1994, 1995) and Tomás Soucek (2022, 2025).

Listen to Emery on BBC Sounds

Alex Howell
Football reporter

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If Aston Villa boss Unai Emery had been offered the chance to be six points off the top of the table by the end of 2025, he would likely have gratefully taken it.

Villa have been excellent this season and despite this match being their first loss in 12, the manner of the defeat will sting for Emery.

His side produced a near-perfect first-half away performance, and if Ollie Watkins had been able to make the most of his chance to give Villa the lead it may have been a different story.

The goals they conceded in the second half will be of concern as the Villa defence lost its shape as Arsenal piled forward, but the defeat does not take away from the excellent run they have been on.

Like Arsenal, Aston Villa are missing key players from their starting XI and with the January transfer window opening on Thursday and Villa in such a good position, Emery will likely be keen for reinforcements.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Aston Villa's display?

Come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies

Jurrien Timber comes back into the side after missing the win over Brighton. Gabriel also starts after returning from injury in the same game. There's also a huge boost as Kai Havertz is named on the bench for Arsenal.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Merino, Odegaard, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Madueke, Havertz, Eze, Martinelli, Jesus, White

Unai Emery makes five changes to the side that beat Chelsea last time out. Ollie Watkins starts after his two goals from the bench in that win. There's no Matty Cash or Boubacar Kamara, who miss out through suspension.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne, Bogarde, Onana, Tielemans, Rogers, Sancho, Buendia, Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Wright, McGinn, Garcia, Malen, Jimoh-Aloba, Maatsen, Hemmings, Routh

Pat Nevin
BBC Sport pundit and former footballer

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We discussed Aston Villa's chances of winning the league on the BBC's Monday Night Club last week and I felt then that although it is possible, it isn 'o likely.

This offended one or two of their fans and after beating Chelsea away - and extending their winning run to an incredible 11 in a row - they thought I should reconsider.

Well, it is put less politely than that on social media but I caught the drift.

‌Now only three points behind Arsenal, I agree they are still in the hunt and are indeed a good enough team. But as mentioned on the show, the problem could still be the size and quality of the squad as the season wears on. There is a big compliment in there if you look hard enough.

‌Villa were royally outclassed against Chelsea for 60 minutes until Unai Emery made a triple substitution, then they immediately outshone their hosts. So is the squad deep enough after all?

You have to compare it with the depth and quality at Manchester City and Arsenal. As such, I still think they should be considered underdogs but with one major caveat.

If the club can work some magic in the January transfer window, as they have done before, then that small gap could still be bridged. Having no players at Afcon helps their cause as well.

So yes, they are underdogs, but are they no-hopers after this brilliant run? Not at all.

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Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

League leaders Arsenal and third-placed Aston Villa face each other 24 days after the reverse fixture, which was won by the Birmingham side with the final kick of the game.

That's Arsenal's only defeat in their past 24 fixtures in all competitions but Villa could go level on points with the Gunners by earning a club record 12th successive victory.

Nervy times for Arsenal but defensive resilience remains

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has called for composure from his side after they were made "to suffer" against Brighton. The Gunners have not been at their fluent best in recent weeks but were in control on Saturday at 2-0 up with more than an hour gone.

Nervousness spread from the stands to the pitch after Diego Gomez halved the deficit and it took an outstanding save from David Raya at full stretch to prevent Yankuba Minteh from equalising.

Arsenal, though, closed out the final 19 minutes, including stoppages, without facing another effort on their goal. It has been a feature of Arsenal's season - they are allowing their opponents the third fewest shots on target of any Premier League team on record.

That defensive parsimony has come despite a revolving door of injuries. Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were the latest absentees against Brighton, meaning Declan Rice had to fill in at right-back. Nonetheless, Arsenal ended the game with their exalted centre-back partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel in tandem for the first time in seven weeks following the latter's return from injury as a substitute.

The most shots on target faced by Arsenal in a league game this season is six during that last-gasp defeat at Villa Park when neither Saliba nor Gabriel were available.

Rejuvenated Villa's record run

Unai Emery is barely a footnote in Arsenal's history despite a 55% win rate during his 18 months in charge but he is masterminding one of the most impressive periods for Villa in more than a century.

While the Spaniard has predictably played down Villa's title credentials, a 10-point gap over fifth-placed Chelsea after the weekend win at Stamford Bridge has at least put them in a strong position to earn Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons.

That seemed unthinkable after a five-match winless start to the current campaign left Emery's side in the relegation zone. Twelve wins in 13 league games have followed, including a current run of eight in a row – the club's best since a nine-match streak in 1910.

With 11 straight wins across all competitions, Villa have equalled a club record previously achieved in 1897 and 1914.

They have come from behind in all five of their away league victories this season. That is no anomaly under Emery, earning a league-high 54 points from losing positions across the past three seasons, including 18 in 2025-26.

Henry Cowling
BBC Sport journalist

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As the Christmas leftovers run out and planning for New Year's Eve parties reaches its peak, it is almost time to say goodbye to 2025.

With nostalgia rife at this time of year, let's take a look at some of the statistical feats for this year.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said recently the club wanted him to leave in the summer but they must be mightily relieved he stuck around. The Portuguese midfielder dominates the Premier League stats when it comes to creativity in 2025, topping the lists for both assists and chances created.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the only other player to appear in the top six for both metrics. Morgan Rogers, Anthony Elanga, Leandro Trossard and Eberechi Eze all rank in the top six for assists across the year, but not chances created.

Enzo Fernandez, Bryan Mbeumo, Declan Rice, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mikkel Damsgaard saw less fruits of their labour, in terms of assists, despite creating plenty of chances.

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I love what Aston Villa are doing. You just keep thinking their winning run can't continue - which is why I had Chelsea down to beat them - and again I was wrong about that.

Villa have the most points (18) from losing positions in the Premier League this season and they just do not lie down.

We saw that again against Chelsea, who pummelled them for an hour before Ollie Watkins came on to make it 11 Aston Villa wins in a row.

It was only this time last year that Arsenal put a bid in for Watkins, who supports them as well, but he stayed at Villa Park. If you were writing a script, you would have him down as getting the winner again here.

Even so, I just have a feeling Arsenal will find a way to win this. I'm expecting the Gunners to find another gear or two very soon, but this might be more of a battle for them that they have to get through.

There will be some nervy moments for Mikel Arteta's side again, that's for sure, but I reckon they will hang on for the win, just about.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Henry Cowling
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has been dribbled past the fewest times in the Premier League this year among regular starters.

He has only been beaten twice in that manner across nearly 3,000 minutes played in 2025, and his position at the top should come as no surprise.

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka told the official England YouTube channel earlier this year that he likes to challenge himself against Konsa while on international duty, saying: "I do a little one-v-one with Ezri because, for me, he is one of the best in the Premier League."

It is not the only art Konsa has mastered either because he has also drawn comfortably more fouls than any other defender in the Premier League since his debut in 2019-20.

Arsenal's revered centre-back partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba rank highly - they have only been dribbled past a combined nine times in the league across 2025.

In terms of other defensive metrics, Nottingham Forest full-back Neco Williams leads the way for both tackles and successful tackles – 114 and 73 respectively.

Brentford centre-back Nathan Collins has made more blocks than any other Premier League player, West Ham full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has made a league-high 58 interceptions, Joachim Andersen of Fulham leads the way for clearances and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is top for headed clearances.

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium (kick-off 20:15 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Both Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash are suspended after receiving their fifth yellow cards of the season in the 2-1 win over Chelsea last time out. It will be "important for other players to step up" in the duo's absence.

• On whether defensive midfielder Kamara is underrated: "Not by us, not by me. We extended his contract last summer because we know his capacity and potential. He had an injury last year which saw him out for six or seven months, but he has been fantastic since coming back."

• He stood firm on his opinion that his team should not be being touted as title contenders yet: "We are proud of what we are building tactically, mentally and individually. Inside of us, we feel like a family, which is good as we are spending more time here than with our families at the moment."

• He added it "doesn't make sense to speak about the title" in December and closing the three-point gap to the top of the table is the "motivation" right now.

• A trip to Emirates Stadium to face Mikel Arteta's side poses "maybe the most difficult challenge" Aston Villa will face this season. He described the Gunners as "the best team", who are "competing fantastically" and are "strong in everything they do".

• Arsenal "will want to try to show their power" after falling to a 2-1 defeat in their recent outing against the Villans. He added: "It will be a challenge but we are so motivated."

• However, Emery has taken plenty of positives from his side's winning performance just three weeks ago: "We showed our capacity to respond and compete against them. It was a really tough match for us and it was good that we showed our mentality right until the last minute."

• He added: "We must be proud of everything we are doing. We are one point behind Manchester City and three points behind Arsenal, but we are still doing things our way."

• He is looking for his side to "stay humble" but believes they can be "confident and ambitious" after their start to this season.

• Finally, Emery said Arsenal remain "favourites" for the Premier League title given the way they are "building their team, improving a lot of things, getting more players into their squad and recovering players from injury".

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

Richard: I'm despairing at how the match played out. Very dominant for the first 58 minutes but struggled to really punish Villa. The win flattered them but in truth we were out of ideas once they levelled. Our substitutes were ineffective. Only Reece James and Robert Sanchez deserve credit.

Alan: Sorry to say this, but there is just no enthusiasm in the team. We were great in the first half and then we came out an entirely different team. Enthusiasm gone, energy gone, leadership gone etc. Unfortunately, this gave Villa the incentive to get back in the game and dominate the second half. There are at least 50% of the team that drag the rest down to an unacceptable level and should be taken to one side and given an ultimatum - start playing or leave. Maresca is just not up to the job and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Jack: Sixty minutes of prime Barcelona, followed by 30 minutes of Sunday League?! Beyond frustrating to watch unfold, but a singular shoutout to Sanchez who keeps developing and has really brushed off a lot of past criticism.

Stuart: Paul Winstanley and company have failed again but just got themselves a new deal. A team of young players doesn't make a good squad. Joe Shields has only recognised one decent player in Cole Palmer. If we have a poor season Maresca could be sacked, but the directors will still be in charge. Todd Boehly wants a coach who doesn't have a transfer input and just gets on with it, and for that reason the top, top coaches will never come to Chelsea.

Villa fans

Matt: Once again Villa did it the hard way. Another comeback win. The character and grit in this team is the best I've seen in a couple of generations. We don't panic, we move on from a poor half and focus on the job in hand. Maybe if we could start doing it the easy way it would be better for the blood pressure!

Kevin: Wow, what a game. I was so frustrated at half-time having watched a very strange Villa performance. But what a difference in the second half. Unai Emery is a tactical genius. Some brilliant performances from the subs and I'm so pleased that Ollie Watkins did the business. This team just doesn't know when they're beaten.

Alan: I heard some of the pundits say that our poor first-half performances are part of a plan to conserve energy but I don't buy it. I think it is more a combination of smart substitutions and character/belief. Then, when we equalise the other team starts to doubt itself because of our reputation. Long may it last.

Paul: It was a game that exemplified Emery's tactical genius. To take a game in which we were being battered and reverse the entire flow of the game with three substitutions was astounding. I could hardly believe the change I was witnessing. Every Villa player has been there before, knew what was happening and all upped their game to match. This is becoming typical Villa. What an amazing game, I'm loving being a Villa fan at the moment - the best time I can remember since I was young!

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