How do you top reducing the kings to pawns? It was a question on the lips of the Aston Villa supporters basking in these rather heady days and a conundrum for Unai Emery, their almost untouchable manager, to solve. The simple answer is a club-record 15th straight home league victory, one that came against the erstwhile leaders, Arsenal. John McGinn’s early strike was sufficient to move Villa – who survived a late VAR check when Arsenal had a goal ruled out for handball against Kai Havertz – to within two points of the summit and one behind Arsenal. Perhaps Villa really are bona fide title contenders, as Pep Guardiola suggested in midweek.
For the second time in four days, Villa Park played host to a mouthwatering contest. After Villa’s evisceration of champions Manchester City in midweek, it was impossible not to wonder whether they would have the might – mentally as well as physically – to perform again at full tilt again.
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