Unai Emery has done a wonderful job at Aston Villa, but the renowned European trophy specialist is facing a surprise semi-final exit from the Europa Conference League.
The Spaniard’s sapped Villa side have been exemplary this season and are poised to finish in the top four for the first time since 1995/96, under Brian Little, barring successive defeats to close the campaign and an improbable late resurgence from Tottenham Hotspur, who have lost four in a row in the Premier League.
Much of the roaring Lions faithful would cherish triumph in a cup competition, but Emery’s side face the very real threat of falling against Greek side Olympiacos after losing 4-2 at Villa Park in last Thursday’s first leg.
While the toil of a high-intensity, unrelenting campaign appears to have taken its toll on a remarkable team that is now showing signs of wear and tear, there is still plenty to fight for, plenty to rejoice over, with two men in particular, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey, supercharging the pursuit of something greater, light at the end of a deep, dark tunnel.
Bailey and Watkins’ performances this season
Watkins and Bailey have formed one of the Premier League’s most lethal partnerships this season, with the brilliant striking threat of the former melding with Bailey’s dynamic skill set to put the initial grumblings over his poor performances to bed.
Indeed, Villa signed Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen for £25m back in 2021 and he was remarked to be “struggling” under Emery’s wing only last year, according to journalist Ashley Preece, posting only four goals and four assists during the 2022/23 Premier League season.
The 26-year-old is now flying high as a central figure in the Villan system, scoring 14 goals and adding 14 assists in all competitions this season and being praised for his “special” qualities by journalist Bence Bocsak.
He’s been fantastic, but he hasn’t been as good as Watkins, whose astounding potency in attacking phases has been vital to his side’s rise and rise under Emery, now destined for a date with the Champions League after many, many years away from Europe’s elite.
The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell has even called the Three Lions phenom “virtually unplayable” for his extraordinary efforts, ranking among the top 19% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals but also among the top 4% for assists per 90, as per FBref.
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