One year of Super Unai Emery

Unai Emery was appointed Aston Villa head coach on 24 October 2022.

That day has turned out to be a defining date in the club’s history thanks to the Spaniard’s transformational impact at Villa Park during the year that has elapsed since.

The club were sat 16th in the Premier League upon his arrival from Villarreal, with the first 13 matches of the campaign yielding only 12 points.

A raucous reception from the claret and blue faithful greeted Emery before his first game against Manchester United, and the match itself offered a taste of what was to come.

Goals from Leon Bailey, Lucas Digne and Jacob Ramsey secured a 3-1 win, and the team didn’t look back as they marched up the table to take seventh place, bringing European football back to the club for the first time since 2010.

Villa’s fine form under Emery and his coaching staff has continued at the start of the current campaign, picking up six wins from nine league games to keep pace with the teams at the top of the table.

Only three clubs, Manchester City (81), Arsenal (74) and Liverpool (71), have accrued more top flight points than Villa (68) since Emery took charge.

The 51-year-old’s average of two points per game puts him ahead of his predecessors at Villa in the Premier League era, with Martin O’Neill claiming the next best record with 1.55 points per game.

And while wins are the most important metric for any head coach, Emery’s impact has stretched far beyond statistics.

Members of the local and national media have become used to hearing the head coach demanding more from his players before each game as he seeks constant improvement, and his squad has responded.

Individually, players have hit new heights and broken personal records along the way, all while buying fully into the structures and playing style Emery has implemented.

Supporters have relished the results but also appreciate the ambition he has to progress the club, never putting a ceiling on what can be achieved.

Fans are always referenced in Emery’s post-match interviews with VillaTV, with the bond between the stands and the team helping massively in winning 11 consecutive Premier League games at home.

“I’m very proud of our work with our supporters and fans because we are always playing here in Villa Park, feeling something special with them,” he said after beating West Ham 4-1 last time out in B6.

“We are connecting with them and trying to transmit to them everything we can on the pitch, and they are responding very well. They are helping us, transmitting energy.”

A winner of 11 trophies in his managerial career, Emery is constantly looking forward and facing upcoming challenges rather than dwelling on past achievements.

And having already achieved one his original objectives of taking the club back into Europe, he isn’t satisfied with the club’s current level.

"When I arrived here, I told everybody and fans my objective," Emery said.

"And the objective they are progressively getting there where I think we are trying to create and to build a strong mentality. We want to be competitive, winning and trying to improve every day in the training ground.

"Of course, we have very good players and we have to be very, very competitive with them. We are in this process. We did the first objective which was to be in Europe and we're playing in Conference League and I think it's amazing for me and for the club, for the supporters and for the players.

"The next step of course, is try to do something in Europe and try to progressively get in other European competitions like Europa League or Champions League - that is my dreams and my objective and I am working hard to get it."