By Martin Graham
Unai Emery became the fastest manager Aston Villa’s history to record 100 wins after his team’s loss Lille in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League. The Spaniard reached the milestone in just 181 games, surpassing previous club figures and underlining the impact he has had since arriving at Villa Park in October 2022.
The 54-year-old is chasing a fifth triumph in the competition, which would extend his own record. Since taking over, he has turned Villa into a strong team both at home and on the European stage, while producing the best win percentage in the club’s history at 55.2%.
During Emery’s time in charge, only two Premier League managers have achieved more wins than him. His compatriots Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have added 137 and 118 victories, respectively, in the same period.
Although the achievement was played down by Emery after the game in France, the stats highlight the progress of the former Sevilla and Villarreal manager, who returned to English football determined to prove himself again after being sacked by Arsenal in 2019.
Surpassing Villa’s historical benchmarks
Emery’s century of wins came sooner than for some of the most celebrated managers in Aston Villa’s history. Ron Saunders, widely regarded as one of the club’s great figures, reached 100 wins during the 1977-78 campaign in his fourth season in charge.
Saunders guided the club out of the former Second Division and later achieved great success, including two League Cup trophies and the league title in 1980-81. He was also the manager at the start of the memorable 1981-82 season which eventually ended with Villa lifting the European Cup.
Joe Mercer also took much longer to reach the milestone. The former manager, who oversaw promotion to the top flight and won the League Cup during his tenure between 1958 and 1964, picked up his 100th win after four and a half years, finishing with 119 victories.
Even the earlier figures needed longer runs to get to the same point. George Ramsay, whose teams were selected by a management committee during his long spell from 1884 to 1926, took 190 games to reach 100 wins, while WJ Smith required 205 games between 1926 and 1934.
Victory gives Villa a new platform
The result in France also came at an important time for Villa, who were looking for momentum after a difficult spell in the domestic competition. The club remain fourth in the Premier League as they seek a place in next season’s Champions League, while winning the Europa League would provide another route to the tournament.
Before the trip to Lille, Villa had gone four games without a win in all competitions, a run that included defeats against top-placed Newcastle, Chelsea and Wolves. European success therefore provided an opportunity to regain confidence ahead of a demanding sequence of matches.
Captain John McGinn, who returned to the side, described the win as a chance to reset after a difficult month. Speaking to TNT Sports, he admitted that the team had struggled recently, but stressed that the result could serve as a basis for improvement.
McGinn added that the performance showed glimpses of the team’s usual level, although he acknowledged there is still work to be done. Villa now face a demanding league game away to third-placed Manchester United, making the upcoming schedule particularly challenging.
Emery uses European struggles as motivation
Emery revealed that he had drawn attention to the difficulties experienced by English clubs in Europe earlier in the week in motivating their players ahead of kick-off. A number of Premier League sides had endured difficult results in the Champions League, a reminder of how challenging continental fixtures away from home can be.
The Villa coach has highlighted the importance of respecting the Europa League and understanding the demands of playing on foreign soil. According to Emery, each game in the competition presents a unique challenge, especially when traveling away from home.
By securing victory in the first leg in France, Villa took a significant step forward while reinforcing the progress made under their current manager. The performance not only delivered a valuable result, but also highlighted the rapid success. Emery has achieved this since taking over the club.
