Aston Villa on a roll but Emery plays down title talk

LONDON, Dec 6 : Unai Emery said in Aston Villa's programme on Saturday that he disliked headlines calling his side title challengers but after an unforgettable 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal on Saturday the Spaniard may need to get used to them.

Substitute Emiliano Buendia's winner with virtually the last kick of the Premier League game sparked an eruption of joy at Villa Park as the hosts became only the second team to beat Arsenal in any competition this season.

Villa's ninth win in their last 10 Premier League games - a burst of form no other team can match - left them three points behind title favourites Arsenal.

It also underlined the sense that the iconic Villa Park stadium is becoming a fortress. Since losing the corresponding fixture last August, Villa have lost just one of their last 26 home league games and they have won each of the last six.

Incredibly, Villa started the season in woeful fashion, failing to score in their first four Premier League games and picking up three points from their opening five games.

It looked as though the exertions of last season, when Villa enjoyed a memorable Champions League campaign, combined with the sale of players such as Jacob Ramsey to rivals Newcastle United had left the Midlands club with a hangover they could not shake off.

The Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules meant Villa's hands were tied in the summer window in which they failed to make a statement signing.

Despite all that, former Sevilla, Valencia, Paris St Germain, Arsenal and Villarreal manager Emery is displaying his magic touch again, with his Villa side on a roll.

Since March, no side has won more than Villa's 17 Premier League games and while their squad may not quite have the depth of Arsenal's or