Aston Villa 2026/27 Premier League preview: Emery on a mission to upset the odds again

Aston Villa’s resurgence since appointing Unai Emery as manager in 2022 is no surprise to people who are familiar with his career.

Emery is renowned for his ability to create teams which are greater than the sum of their parts, and he has showcased this to perfection at Villa.

He guided Villa to fourth place in the Premier League last season and will be eager to keep driving the club forward this time around.

With that in mind, read on as we assess whether Villa can enjoy another productive season under Emery.

Aston Villa Premier League fixtures 2026/27

Aston Villa summer transfers 2026

IN: Joao Gomes (Wolverhampton Wanderers, £34m), Modou Keba Cissa (LASK, £4.8m), Johan Manzambi (undisclosed), Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea, loan).

OUT: Morgan Rogers (Chelsea, £117m), Youri Tielemans (Manchester United, £35m), Donyell Malen (Roma, £21.7m), Lewis Dobbin (Southampton, £9m), Lucas Digne (Paris Saint-Germain, £8.5m), Sil Swinkels (Sheffield Wednesday, undisclosed), Kadan Young (Annecy, loan), Andres Garcia (Getafe, loan), Yeimar Mosquera (Vitoria Guimaraes, undisclosed), Joe Gauci (Lincoln City, loan), Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace, loan).

(Information correct on August 18).

Aston Villa Premier League season 2026/27 preview

Emery has transformed Villa into consistent challengers for European qualification since replacing Steven Gerrard as manager in 2022.

After guiding the club to success in the Europa League last season, Emery has his sights set on establishing Villa as regulars in the Champions League.

He hopes to achieve this despite having one arm tied behind his back by the Premier League’s restrictive financial rules.

Villa have once again been forced to sell key players this summer, with Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans leading the departures.

Joao Gomes and Johan Manzambi have arrived at Villa Park to boost Emery’s hopes of competing in the Premier League and Europe.

His task may be tougher this season, with underachievers such as Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur expected to be battling for European qualification this term.

Despite the trickier landscape, Emery has insisted that Villa will be aiming high when the 2026/27 season gets underway this weekend.

“Clearly, winning the Champions League is something I dream of,” Emery said. “I see teams that have come close to a level similar to ours over the years.

“Three years ago, Borussia Dortmund reached the final. Villarreal reached the semi-finals against Liverpool and came close to reaching the final.

“So, we’ll also try to be a competitive team, a team that is renowned, that’s closer to winning than losing, and that’s back in contention or capable of competing with the best teams to win titles.”

It would undoubtedly be foolish to underestimate Villa’s chances of defying the odds this season, but ‘success’ may have to be relative this time around.

All of the so-called ‘Big Six’ clubs have improved their squads this summer, which potentially makes life more difficult for the Midlands outfit.

However, Emery’s penchant for maximising the resources at his disposal should ensure that Villa are firmly in contention for a top-six finish.

Progression in the Champions League is also an achievable aim, particularly when factoring in Emery’s impressive track record in European competitions.

Despite losing plenty of Premier League experience this summer, Villa look a good bet to enjoy another productive campaign under Emery.

Read more: Premier League 2026/27 season preview.