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Could 2026 be Aston Villa's moment?

Nine straight wins in every match - approaching the record of 11 set in 1897 - have propelled Unai Emery's side as genuine contenders.

This stunning form has come following Villa failed to win any of their initial five Premier League matches and had the longest run without a goal of.

They face at home Manchester United on Sunday before playing away at Chelsea and taking on leaders Arsenal to finish the year - three games which could shape their place in the championship battle.

Villa have not lifted significant silverware since securing the League Cup in 1996 but, sitting third in both the Premier League and Europa League, their long wait could come to an end in spectacular style.

The Manager's Measured Stance

Unai Emery refuses to yield to any external demands to declare Villa are in the title race.

However, the stats tell a story, as their only Premier League defeat since August came against Liverpool in October, and since then Villa have strung together six top-flight games.

Last Sunday's 3-2 comeback win over West Ham exemplified the resilience of his side and the momentum they now carry.

"We are not feeling the pressure, we are filled with ambition and we try to challenge in Europe and in the Premier League," Emery said. "Enjoy each match, try to prepare then rest. The players must feel comfortable doing it."

Emery has been careful to steer clear of any additional spotlight on his Villa players. After all, they are attracting plenty of plaudits through their stunning form.

From Slow Start to Spectacular Surge

That present run is in sharp opposition to a start of the season in which they were winless after their first six matches, which included a Carabao Cup loss to Brentford, and did not even register a league goal until a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 21 September.

The squad gathered for talks to review their worrying beginning and discuss how to get back on track. There was a understanding there had been a lingering effect from falling short of the Champions League.

Villa finished sixth last season and were denied the top five on goal difference after a debated loss by Manchester United on the final day.

Since the draw at the Stadium of Light they have won 15 of their 17 games, including beating Manchester City 1-0 and this month's dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal.

There has also been gradual change, not upheaval under Emery, as seven first-teamers who played in the head coach's first match - a 3-1 victory against United in November 2022 - remain key now.

Aiming Higher

"The last year is an example and it's an lesson for us. Sometimes we were performing well, we were reaching our goals, but maybe if we were aiming higher, maybe even we could go further," Emery stated.

He added, "This is the third year I am here, I am really very motivated, but [also] holding higher standards than when I arrived here. My objective has plenty of areas to enhance."

Ending the Long Wait

The most recent occasion Villa won a major trophy - beating Leeds 3-0 in the League Cup - feels like a different era.

It has been a long wait since, with Villa losing two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals since then.

Emery, a Europa League winner with Sevilla and Villarreal, stated on his first day in charge that the main goal was to win a trophy. Last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat still stings.

A Europa Conference League semi-final defeat 18 months ago and a thrilling Champions League quarter-final exit last April demonstrate their progress.

"Every time we go into a big game now, we have that resolve in the back of our heads to show this team we have constructed over the past five or six years is deserving of more than a quarter-final, worth more than a semi-final," captain John McGinn told reporters. "The determination, I can feel it this year."

The pivotal stretch begins now, with Villa poised to discover if they are ready to be kings or merely kingmakers in the championship battle.