Villa have all the tools to establish themselves among the elite

Unai Emery has built a side with high standards and a squad with depth – they’ll need both in the coming weeks

Aston Villa's Amadou Onana (centre) celebrates with Matty Cash (left) Morgan Rogers (top) and Boubacar Kamara (right) after scoring his sides fourth goal during the Premier League match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire. 

Most teams in the battle for Champions League qualification are staggering to the line, battered, exhausted, done in by a season which feels like it finished in February but somehow still has a month to run. But as they falter, Aston Villa have seemingly found another gear.

Liverpool are secure in the Champions League qualification slots and Arsenal soon will be, which leaves the remaining three places between five contenders who are separated by just two points, although Nottingham Forest face Tottenham on Monday. Forest, though, have won just three of their last eight in the league. Newcastle had won six in a row in all competitions before Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Villa. Manchester City are unbeaten in five in the league. Chelsea have won five of their last 11 in the league and have a notably tough run in. But Villa have won 10 of 11 in all competitions, the only blip their Champions League defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain. There is no question that they are the side in form.