Aston Villa are in a strong position to finish in fourth place at the end of 2023/24, something that would be a remarkable achievement for Unai Emery for one key reason.
What a season it’s been for Aston Villa, who are currently six points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth place, as well as being the only English side remaining in a European competition.
Last week, Unai Emery’s spirited squad secured their position in the final four of the Europa Conference League, followed by beating Bournemouth in the Premier League just 72 hours later.
Coming from a goal behind to beat the Cherries epitomised just how resilient Villa have been this campaign, with injury woes, suspension and European involvement not slowing down the Villans’ momentum.
READ MORE: Aston Villa’s chances of securing a top-four finish
There are a host of reasons why Emery qualifying for the Champions League would be an incredible achievement at Villa, with one statistic highlighting just how impressive a fourth-place finish would be.
Statistics show how much of an advantage Tottenham have had over Aston Villa
For the majority of the season, the race for fourth place has been between Spurs and Villa however, statistics have now shown just how much of an advantage the North Londoners have had in the battle.
Figures provided by Opta showcase just how much Emery’s side have had to adapt their squad to ensure their place in the top four and the Conference League aren’t compromised.
This season, Villa average just 123:52 hours between games, the third most of any side, with Manchester City and Liverpool averaging fewer time.
It’s staggering to consider Emery’s side’s stance in the Premier League with this in mind, particularly due to the fact that Spurs are second-bottom of the list, averaging 172:11 hours between fixtures.
The Lilywhites have had a clear run at finishing as high as possible in the league due to not being involved in Europe and being eliminated from cup competitions, making Villa’s achievements all the more impressive when it comes to the top-four race.
Unai Emery is the figure that could deny Tottenham Champions League qualification
Speaking on the Claret and Blue podcast, journalist John Townley summed up the influence of Emery at Villa perfectly, lauding the boss as “magic” for his ability to maintain Villa’s form in Europe and the league.
“Testament to Unai Emery, the guys just magic. He’s done this for 16 years and he knows the methods behind it.
“It doesn’t matter what players he’s working with, how many are injured, how many are suspended.”
As a result of Villa’s form and quality this season, it’s easy to forget that the Midlands club have had to navigate around having three key players absent with season-ending ACL injuries, on top of a list of less severe ones.
Surprisingly, the Villans have rarely had their favoured XI available throughout the entirety of the campaign, reinforcing once more how stellar the work of Emery has been over the busy 2023/24 calendar.
Tottenham too have suffered injuries, but as highlighted by Opta, haven’t had to balance European involvement and fighting for a high Premier League finish, showcasing the strength of the Villa manager.
If Emery is to deny Ange Postecoglou’s side entry to next season’s Champions League, it will be a truly remarkable feat in what has been an outstanding campaign for Aston Villa.
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