Former Aston Villa forward Stan Collymore has delivered a frank assessment of his old club's Premier League prospects, insisting they are not genuine title contenders despite a superb season under Unai Emery.
Collymore's Title Race Verdict
The pundit, who played for Villa between 1997 and 2000, believes the club's incredible 11-game winning run—which once made them Europe's most in-form team—has seen them operating at their absolute maximum. Collymore argues that logic dictates this level is unsustainable over a full campaign, especially when comparing squad depth with the established elite.
Villa's hot streak was ended by a defeat away at Arsenal, followed by a goalless draw at Crystal Palace, though they have since recorded victories over Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur in early 2026.
In an interview with BetWright, Collymore explained his reasoning. "I don't think that Aston Villa are in a title race, purely because they are maxing out in every game," he stated. "If you look at the bench and the depth of the squad, they were bringing on two FA Youth Cup winners against Arsenal, who are bringing on the likes of Ebere Eze and Leandro Trossard. It's just not possible."
Emery's Management Earns High Praise
While dismissing a title challenge, Collymore was effusive in his praise for manager Unai Emery's work, labelling it the best in the division on a resource-for-resource basis. He highlighted Emery's expert management of player fitness and minutes as a key factor in Villa's success.
"The way that Unai Emery has managed minutes has been the best of any in the Premier League," Collymore added. "He's given Ollie Watkins breaks, he's given the likes of Donyell Malen—who's been exceptional—a rest when he's needed it. He's attempted to juggle the midfield around to give John McGinn a rest..."
'Pound for Pound' the Best
Collymore's most striking claim was that Villa's overall performance this season, when analysed properly, surpasses even that of current leaders Arsenal. However, he tempered this by reiterating that the lack of a deep squad will ultimately see them fall short in the race for the trophy.
"What he has done is pound for pound the best of any side in the Premier League, even above Arsenal," Collymore asserted. "In terms of a title race, forget it. Villa will be aware that the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea have the squad depth to reel them back in, so if they can finish inside the top four, I think they'd take it."
The 54-year-old also backed Emery's public stance of downplaying any title talk, agreeing with the manager's focus on taking the season one game at a time.
