Villa's fortress and title credentials face tough Arsenal test

Aston Villa started the season prioritising a top-four Premier League finish but inspiring performances under manager Unai Emery have catapulted them to third and within reach of title rivals and his former club Arsenal who they host on Saturday.

Emery has brought European football back to Villa Park after finishing seventh last year but they have shown no signs of Thursday night hangovers after Conference League games, losing just once in the top flight in their last 11 matches.

In that run, they have swatted aside Chelsea and early pacesetters Tottenham Hotspur while Wednesday's 1-0 win over Manchester City saw Emery beat old rival Pep Guardiola for the first time and drop the champions to fourth.

Remarkably, a dominant Villa side restricted City to just two shots at Villa Park, a ground which has been transformed into a fortress where they have won 14 on the trot to equal a club record that has stood for 92 years.

When asked if Villa were genuine title contenders, Guardiola said: "Yes, definitely, (because) of the way they are playing.

"You see the physicality, the tempo, the speed, the bench, the organisation from Unai in the set pieces, the high pressing, the middle block, how incredibly they defend in the back four, a good goalkeeper (Emiliano Martinez) - absolutely!"

The last time Villa won 10 games at this stage of the season, they went on to lift their last league title in 1980-81. But Emery struck a cautious tone and said it was too early to discuss their title credentials.

"There are seven teams who are contenders more than us. We are (at) matchday 15, we play matchday 16 on Saturday against Arsenal and we are going to focus on it," the Spaniard said.

"We are happy to be third but to stay there, it is very, very