When Aston Villa were on a five-match winless run to start the Premier League season, the team looked more like potential relegation candidates than title contenders.
Unai Emery was describing his players as “lazy” and the club’s big names — including England internationals Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers — were showing no form at all.
There were major concerns about the club’s lack of activity in the transfer window.
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How, then, can you explain the position Villa find themselves in heading into 2026?
On the back of 11-straight victories in all competitions, Villa are on their best winning streak in more than a century and are now a genuine title contender.
Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring against Chelsea Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
A win over first-placed Arsenal on Wednesday morning (AEDT) and Villa will then be tied on points with the Gunners at the top of the league halfway through the campaign.
Manchester City have also broken away from the rest of the pack, with Liverpool a further seven points back in fourth place.
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Villa will not be scared of Arsenal. After all, just three weeks ago, Villa scored a last-gasp goal to defeat the leaders 2-1 at home and keep their winning run going.
That continued on Sunday (AEDT) with a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph at fifth-placed Chelsea, secured thanks to two second-half goals by Watkins.
Much of the team’s success is being put down to Emery, the coach whose savvy tactics, well-timed substitutions and belief in his players leaves no task insurmountable.
Like when Villa trailed — and were being outclassed — at Stamford Bridge before Watkins’ entrance off the bench.
Or when Villa twice went behind at West Ham two weeks earlier before winning 3-2.
Unai Emery Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
Or when Villa went 2-0 down at Brighton in early-December, only to fight back for a 4-3 victory. Two weeks before that, Villa conceded early at Leeds and rallied for a 2-1 win.
It means Villa head to Emirates Stadium — where Arsenal hasn’t lost in any competition this season and has taken 25 points from a possible 27 in the Premier League — seeking a sixth-straight away win.
The match might be regarded as much a test of Arsenal’s title credentials as Villa’s.
“Not really,” Emery, a former Arsenal manager, replied on the weekend when asked if his team can stay in the title race.
No one will believe him three days later if Villa — most recently English champion in 1981 — rack up another win.