Just three points behind top-of-the-table Liverpool is evidence enough that Unai Emery has got his Aston Villa team playing as well as at any point over the last few years.
The odd unexpected result aside, the Villains have been brilliant to watch and thoroughly deserve to be sitting in second place in the Premier League table.
Of all the teams up there at the summer, with respect, Villa are the surprise package, and that could well help them during the second half of the season when, arguably, the pressure on the team is that much greater.
With the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League to come too, 2023/24 could end up being a vintage year for the Midlanders.
For some players, however, things haven’t really worked out, and The Athletic (subscription required) note that the club are willing to sell both Calum Chambers and Leander Dendoncker this month.
Chambers has only played 178 minutes (WhoScored) this season – all in the Conference League, whilst Dendoncker has fared a little better with 410 minutes under his belt (WhoScored).
Both players are 28 years of age and will surely jump at the chance to resurrect their careers elsewhere, whilst any buying clubs will get players at their supposed peak and wanting to prove a point.