When Unai Emery’s Aston Villa beat Pep Guardiola’s Man Metropolis in midweek to leapfrog them into third place within the Premier League desk, it was the primary time in 13 makes an attempt that the Villains had crushed the Residents.
It was additionally Emery’s first overcome Guardiola in 13 makes an attempt, and the match was additionally notable for being the one the place a aspect managed by Pep had confronted essentially the most pictures in a sport in addition to managing the least makes an attempt themselves.
Frankly, it was an absolute mauling, and the Villa followers in attendance, together with Stan Collymore, completely beloved each minute of it.
“If Villa’s efficiency towards Metropolis isn’t the Premier League efficiency of the season, it is going to be considered one of them. It’s only a disgrace actually that it wasn’t on Sky as a major sport the place extra folks may’ve seen it,” he mentioned in his unique column for CaughtOffside.
“I believe that what the Villa gamers did, terribly properly, was going out onto that pitch, feeling they may win towards anyone. That confidence meant it was at all times going to be a troublesome night time for Metropolis, however I believe it was simply the incessant stress that noticed Pep’s aspect disintegrate.
“Metropolis presumably had 5 to 6 minutes within the second half the place they managed possession, earlier than Villa dominated once more.
“I believed that John McGinn’s efficiency was one of many particular person performances within the Premier League, Boubacar Kamara’s too. The closing down, not giving Metropolis a second and inflicting their very own sport on the opponent… depth, physicality at instances Villa gamers appeared as in the event that they had been showboating and relishing the problem of beating their reverse quantity.
“I’ve been going to Villa for 45 years and it will actually be up there within the high 5 – 6 performances I’ve seen from an Aston Villa group.”
For no matter purpose, the reigning champions simply aren’t clicking in the intervening time, and it was their fourth Premier League sport in a row that they’d did not win – remarkable within the Guardiola period.
Emery, in the meantime, celebrated his fiftieth match answerable for Villa with considered one of his finest profession victories thus far.
Each little element gave the impression to be taken care of and nonetheless laborious Metropolis tried to penetrate the Villa defence, they had been repelled.
Although it was solely a 1-0 scoreline, the win was extremely complete. Metropolis had been properly crushed in each facet, and if anybody was in any doubt whether or not Villa had been title contenders or not, that efficiency gave them a solution.