Aston Villa head to Arsenal with a chance to draw level on points, yet Unai Emery insists the Premier League title discussion is not relevant for the team. Opta’s supercomputer gives Villa only a 7.5% chance of finishing first, which mirrors Emery’s cautious stance before Tuesday’s meeting at the Emirates Stadium.
Villa arrive in north London after a 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea on Saturday, which equals a club record of 11 successive wins in all competitions. Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League, three points ahead of Villa, and had already lost to Emery’s side at Villa Park earlier in December.
Emery stresses that the focus stays on the next task rather than any title narrative. He said: "To speak about the title does not make
sense for us. Now, in December, it does not make sense. We are motivated and excited, but for the moment, we are motivated for the match. With three points difference between them and us, this is our motivation. "
Villa’s recent record against Arsenal offers added confidence. Villa are unbeaten in the last two league trips to the Emirates, winning 2-0 in April 2024 and drawing 2-2 in January last season. The previous longer unbeaten away sequence against Arsenal came between 2006-07 and 2008-09, when Villa avoided defeat in three straight matches.
That comeback strength helped secure the Chelsea win and underlines why Villa remain near the top.54 - Across the last three Premier League seasons, Aston Villa have won more points from losing positions than any other Premier League side (54). Resilient. pic.twitter.com/Hj6ERasC4K
- OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2025
Emery believes the team’s unity drives this consistency. "With how we are performing, we can feel proud of everything we are building. Tactically, mentally, individually. We are trying to feel inside as a family, we are spending more time here than with family. " Emery still describes Arsenal as the toughest current opponent.
Aston Villa Premier League title race implications of Arsenal clash
Emery continues to balance pride with caution. "We must be proud of everything we’re doing but we must be humble and confident and we must be ambitious as well," Emery added. "They [Arsenal] are playing fantastic, being so strong in everything. They are getting better and better. We are so motivated to get this moment to play against them. "
Recent history between the clubs adds an extra layer to Tuesday’s fixture. Arsenal have lost three of the last five Premier League meetings with Villa. Emery’s side could complete a league double over Arsenal for the third time in six seasons, while Arsenal seek a reaction after the defeat at Villa Park earlier in December.
Emery expects Arsenal to respond with intensity after that earlier loss. "For them, it is very important because three weeks ago we beat them, and they will usually want to show their power against us. This is the next step forward. Our test is how we can face them with our structure. " The match therefore offers a serious examination of Villa’s current level without changing Emery’s view of the title race.
