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Might this season be Aston Villa's year?

Nine consecutive victories in every match - closing in on the record of 11 achieved back in 1897 - have launched Unai Emery's side into title contention.

This stunning form has come after Villa failed to win any of their initial five Premier League matches and were the last team in the league to score.

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

Villa have not lifted significant silverware since winning the League Cup in 1996 but, currently placed third in both the Premier League and Europa League, their long wait could be broken in spectacular style.

Avoiding the Spotlight

Unai Emery refuses to yield to any external demands to declare Villa are fighting for the championship.

However, the statistics speak volumes, as their only Premier League defeat since August came against Liverpool in October, and since then Villa have secured six consecutive top-flight games.

Last Sunday's come-from-behind 3-2 victory over West Ham perfectly illustrated the resilience of his side and the momentum they now carry.

"We are not experiencing pressure, we are driven by ambition and we try to be competitive in Europe and in the Premier League," Emery said. "Enjoy each match, try to prepare then rest. The players must be at ease doing it."

Emery has been careful to steer clear of any unnecessary focus on his Villa players. After all, they are garnering sufficient notice through their remarkable performances.

Transformation from Struggles to Success

That current form is in complete contrast to a beginning of the campaign in which they were without a victory after their first six matches, which included a Carabao Cup loss to Brentford, and did not even find the net in the Premier League until a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 21 September.

The squad held a meeting to evaluate their poor opening and talk about how to regain their form. There was a acknowledgement there had been a hangover from falling short of the Champions League.

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

After that stalemate at the Stadium of Light they have triumphed in 15 out of 17 fixtures, which includes beating Manchester City 1-0 and this month's thrilling 2-1 victory over Arsenal.

There has also been evolution rather than revolution under Emery, as seven members of the squad who played in the head coach's first match - a 3-1 victory against United in November 2022 - continue to be important now.

Learning from Past Campaigns

"The last year is an example and it's an experience for us. Sometimes we were doing a good job, we were reaching our goals, but maybe if we were aiming higher, maybe even we could achieve even greater things," Emery stated.

He added, "This is the third season I am here, I am highly motivated, but [also] expecting more than when I started. My objective has a lot of things 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 bygone age.

It has been a protracted drought since, with Villa falling in two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals over the years.

Emery, a Europa League winner with Sevilla and Villarreal, declared on his arrival that the key aim was to lift a cup. Last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat still stings.

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 resolve in the back of our heads to demonstrate 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 sense it this year."

The pivotal stretch begins now, with Villa poised to discover if they are ready to be kings or merely kingmakers in the championship battle.