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Might this season be Aston Villa's moment?

Nine straight wins in every tournament - nearing the club record of 11 set in 1897 - have catapulted Unai Emery's side into the championship conversation.

This remarkable run has come following Villa were unable to secure a victory in any of their first five Premier League matches and went longer than.

They welcome Manchester United on Sunday before travelling to Chelsea and facing leaders Arsenal to conclude 2026 - three games which could define their role in the title race.

Villa have not claimed a top honour since securing the League Cup in 1996 but, sitting third in both the Premier League and Europa League, their trophy famine could finally end in spectacular style.

Emery's Cautious Approach

Unai Emery refuses to yield to any outside pressure to proclaim Villa are challenging for the title.

However, the statistics speak volumes, as their single top-flight defeat since August came against Liverpool in October, and since then Villa have won six straight top-flight games.

Last Sunday's 3-2 comeback win over West Ham exemplified the strength of his side and the positive energy they now carry.

"We are not feeling under pressure, we are driven by ambition and we try to challenge in Europe and in the Premier League," Emery said. "Enjoy each match, try to prepare then rest. The players must remain confident doing it."

Emery has been cautious to prevent placing any additional spotlight on his Villa players. After all, they are attracting plenty of plaudits through their stunning form.

Turning the Season Around

That present run is in sharp opposition to a start of the season in which they were winless after their initial six fixtures, which included a Carabao Cup loss to Brentford, and did not even register a league goal until a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 21 September.

The squad conducted a discussion to evaluate their worrying beginning and discuss how to regain their form. There was a recognition there had been a hangover from missing out on the Champions League.

Villa came sixth last season and failed to reach the top five on goal difference after a debated loss by Manchester United on the final day.

After that stalemate at the Stadium of Light they have secured 15 victories in 17 matches, including beating Manchester City 1-0 and this month's thrilling 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

There has also been gradual change, not upheaval under Emery, as seven first-teamers who played in the head coach's first match - a 3-1 victory against United in November 2022 - remain key now.

Aiming Higher

"The last year is an example and it's an experience for us. Sometimes we were playing excellently, we were reaching our goals, but maybe if we were getting our demands higher, maybe even we could go further," Emery stated.

He added, "This is the third season I am here, I am highly motivated, but [also] expecting more than when I first came. My objective has many aspects to work on."

The Quest for Silverware

The most recent occasion Villa lifted top-level silverware - beating Leeds 3-0 in the League Cup - feels like a different era.

It has been a protracted drought since, with Villa being defeated in two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals since then.

Emery, a Europa League winner with Sevilla and Villarreal, made it clear on his first day in charge that the key aim was to secure silverware. Last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat is not forgotten.

A Europa Conference League semi-final defeat 18 months ago and a thrilling Champions League quarter-final exit last April demonstrate their progress.

"Every time we go into a huge fixture now, we have that determination in the back of our heads to prove this team we have built over the past five or six years is capable of more than a quarter-final, worth more than a semi-final," captain John McGinn told reporters. "The determination, I can see it this year."

The decisive run begins now, with Villa poised to discover if they are destined to be kings or merely influential players in the championship battle.