Aston Villa missed a chance to move within four points of the Premier League summit and above Manchester City, then heard Unai Emery insist the team are still not serious top-five challengers. A 1-0 home defeat to Everton ended Villa’s long winning run at Villa Park and halted momentum at a time when Arsenal’s draw with Nottingham Forest had opened a window in the title race.
Emery’s team stay third in the table after this result, level on points with second-placed City and seven behind the leaders, yet the coach downplayed any talk of a sustained push. Speaking after the match, Emery delivered a stark assessment of Villa’s status among the league’s leading clubs and suggested others hold stronger resources and deeper squads.
In an interview with
Sky Sports, Emery said: "We are not a contender to be in the top five, he said in an interview with Sky Sports. We are still not contenders. There are other teams with more potential than us. " The comments contrasted with Villa’s league position and recent form, but underlined Emery’s belief that long-term consistency remains the key test.
The match turned on 59 minutes when Thierno Barry punished a rare error from Aston Villa’s defence. Emiliano Martinez was left exposed after parrying Dwight McNeil’s effort, and Barry reacted first, lifting a delicate lob over the stranded goalkeeper. Before the opener, Everton had already struck the post through Merlin Rohl and seen a Jake O'Brien goal ruled out.
This defeat stopped Villa’s sequence of 11 straight home victories in all competitions and also ended a long Premier League unbeaten run against Everton. The Merseyside club had not beaten Aston Villa in the league since March 2016, a span of 13 matches which included nine wins and four draws for Emery’s side and Villa’s previous managers.
Villa created enough chances to take at least a point, registering 18 shots, their highest total without scoring in a league game since October 2022 against Chelsea, when they also had 18 attempts. Expected goals also favoured the hosts by 1.36 to 0.56, underlining their attacking pressure even as Everton’s compact defence and finishing edge decided the contest.
A difficult evening worsened when captain John McGinn left the field injured after 18 minutes. The Scotland international was replaced by Evann Guessand, who almost equalised soon after coming on, sending a looping header against the crossbar. Losing McGinn disrupted Villa’s midfield rhythm and forced adjustments that affected both pressing shape and support for the front line.
Unai Emery reflects on #AVLEVE pic.twitter.com/eKZfS5DenxAston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 18, 2026
Emery addressed McGinn’s situation with caution after the game. Asked about the injury, Emery said: "I don't know, it's his knee. Of course, when players are getting injured, it is not good. It is football, and we have to accept it. It is another opportunity for other players to play. " Further assessment will determine how long McGinn is unavailable.
Despite the setback, Aston Villa remain firmly in the Premier League’s upper group as the season continues. The defeat to Everton disrupted a strong sequence of results but also highlighted areas Emery wants to refine, from finishing to squad depth. How Villa respond in the next fixtures will show whether the team can stay close to the leaders despite Emery’s cautious outlook.
