Aston Villa are ‘proper top four contenders’ after their win over Man City, claims Chris Sutton, as he hails their ‘absolutely phenomenal’ home form under Unai Emery on It’s All Kicking Off

• Aston Villa are continuing to enjoy a superb campaign under boss Unai Emery 
• They beat Man City 1-0 at home on Wednesday to move above the champions
• It will do Arsenal no harm at all to have Arteta out of sight at Villa Park – It’s All Kicking Off 

Chris Sutton has hailed the work of Unai Emery at Aston Villa after their impressive 1-0 win over champions Manchester City and believes they are ‘proper top four contenders’.

Leon Bailey scored a late winner against Pep Guardiola’s side at Villa Park on Wednesday night to record their third win in four games and move them above City and into third in the Premier League table.

It continues an amazing season that has already seen them beat Chelsea and Tottenham and they will be seen as serious contenders to claim a place in Europe’s elite should they continue their upward trajectory.

Their real test of character will come when they put their excellent home form on the line once again with the visit of current league leaders Arsenal. 

Speaking on Mail Sport podcast It’s All Kicking Off, Sutton now believes Villa are right in the mix for the top four conversation as he praised their home form and how Emery had transformed the team without spending huge sums of cash.  

Chris Sutton has hailed the work of Unai Emery at Villa Park after their impressive season

The Mail Sport columnist believes Villa are ‘proper top contenders’ after beating Man City

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‘Aston Villa’s home form is absolutely phenomenal. The job that Unai Emery has done over a sustained period now to think that the mess that he took over and now just the fact that they are proper top four contenders,’ Sutton said.

‘I can’t believe that actually is the case because he hasn’t gone daft in the transfer market. There haven’t been loads of wholesale changes. 

‘They thoroughly deserved to beat Manchester City. And that was so impressive, the nature of their performance.’

Sutton’s co-host Ian Ladyman mentioned how Villa had also picked up defeats to Liverpool and Newcastle, and the former Rangers striker replied that those had come against top teams and that Emery’s men just needed to sort out their away form.

‘I think you mentioned they lost at Liverpool. Well, Liverpool are a good team,’ Sutton added.

‘They lost at Newcastle, who are a good team. But the consistency which they’ve shown, I think if anything, Unai Emery will want to improve their away form, but they are a well-organised, slick outfit.’ 

As Villa brace for Arsenal’s arrival, Sutton also had his say on the Gunners after their hard-fought 4-3 win over Luton Town last time out thanks to Declan Rice’s winner – the second time in three games that they have relied on a late goal as they continue to take games to the wire.

He feels Arsenal will have trouble battling for the title if David Raya doesn’t cut out his errors

Goalkeeper David Raya was guilty of two costly errors leading to Luton goals and Sutton was adamant that the mistakes had to stop if Arsenal wanted to be serious title contenders. 

‘This Raya or Ramsdale debate, will his stubbornness to carry on with David Raya, the position they’re in, will that cost them the title at the end of the season? Because I just don’t get it,’ he added.

‘We know what happened at the start and you know, he was hinting that there was going to be an even spread of games amongst both goalkeepers.

‘The other night I thought that was a couple of huge errors and he can’t keep making those if Arsenal want to win the Premier League.

‘People view David Raya as good with his feet, not very good with his hands. Is that fair? Is that the right Premier League level? You’ve got to be dominant in your box. Is he dominant in his box when crossers come in? No.

‘Shot stopping, he’s okay. The one went under his body the other night – that happens. But in the context of a title race – and Arsenal are well in this title race – that’s a bad goal to concede and Declan Rice, fortunately for him, bailed him out.’

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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