Aston Villa recorded yet another comfortable Premier League victory on the weekend, this time at home to West Ham United, and Unai Emery is building something very special at Villa Park.
The 4-1 win lifts them to fifth in the table and the Spaniard will be pleased by how effective they were in front of goal against David Moyes’ men, who have conceded three or more goals on only two occasions this season.
Can Aston Villa qualify for the Champions League?
The mood at the club is like night and day compared to this stage last season. Steven Gerrard had failed to inspire the team, and he was sacked in October, with Emery stepping in.
Since then, Villa have qualified for Europe via a seventh placed finish and have managed to lure players such as Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres, and Moussa Diaby to the club, signalling a major statement of intent.
Diaby became Villa’s most expensive signing when arriving in the summer, costing a staggering £51.9m and he has already registered five goal contributions – two goals and three assists – across 12 matches.
If he maintains this type of form, along with the others at Villa, Emery could realistically challenge for a top four spot and with it, a first foray into Europe’s elite competition since 1982/83.
Although Diaby has settled in well so far, could the former Arsenal boss unleash a player who has actually outscored him this season and appears to be returning to his best?
Step forward Leon Bailey.
How good has Leon Bailey been for Aston Villa this season?
The winger joined Villa from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, yet his first season was disrupted by injuries as he made just 18 appearances, scoring once.
Last season the 5 foot 10 ace finally became a more consistent performer, featuring in 36 matches while registering nine goal contributions and this has laid the foundations for his successful start to the 2023/24 campaign.
Across just 12 games so far, Bailey has scored five times and grabbed two assists, flourishing in Emery’s system, and he has, therefore, scored more than Diaby this term.
He came off the bench against West Ham on the weekend and enjoyed a wonderful cameo. The 26-year-old completed 100% of his attempted passes while succeeding with his only dribble attempt and taking two shots during his time on the pitch.
He was rewarded for his intensity by scoring a wonderful goal to cap off an excellent victory and Emery should seriously consider unleashing the Jamaican international for the Europa Conference League tie against AZ Alkmaar.
Journalist Josh Bunting lavished praise on the former Leverkusen star for his “stunning” goal against West Ham while also claiming that his “footwork is sensational” following a solid cameo.
Emery must finally unleash him from the first whistle against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday evening, with his last start coming on the 5th of October, as he could build on his performance against the Hammers and continue his impressive start to the season.
Villa are on a high right now and Bailey could continue his fine form with a start during the week, whilst it would also provide Diaby with a rest ahead of the weekend.