Joleon Lescott has openly expressed his skepticism about Aston Villa being genuine contenders for the Premier League title this season. Despite currently sitting third in the table under the guidance of Unai Emery, Lescott believes Villa lack the necessary strength to sustain a title challenge.
Aston Villa have enjoyed a remarkable resurgence after a sluggish start, climbing the standings to just seven points behind leaders Arsenal. Their impressive eight-game winning streak from November to December had many fans and pundits considering them as potential title challengers. However, a recent home defeat to Brentford dealt a blow to their ambitions.
Lescott, who has the unique perspective of having played for both Manchester City and Aston Villa, remains unconvinced. Speaking on the podcast “In The Mixer,” he highlighted Villa’s potential weakness in maintaining form during the crucial closing stages of the season.
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“I was never really convinced Villa were genuine contenders for the title,” Lescott said. “I don’t know if they are able to win five games in a row down the stretch. I don’t think they have that strength. Whereas I believe Manchester City and Arsenal do.”
Villa’s manager Unai Emery shares a similarly cautious outlook. Asked about his title hopes following a 2-0 victory over Newcastle last month, Emery emphasized the need for consistent performance rather than premature confidence.
“Okay, calm. Keeping balance is the only objective I have in my mind,” Emery stated. “The only way I know to improve is to work every day. If we perform consistently, maybe we can do better and maybe after 35 games we can speak differently.”
He also acknowledged the stiff competition not only from Arsenal and Manchester City but also from Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Tottenham.
“We are competing against some very powerful teams, but we are there. We are getting points,” Emery added.
While Aston Villa’s bid for the title faces tough challenges, their presence in the top echelon of the Premier League is a testament to their progress this season. Still, for Lescott and Emery, the true test of their championship credentials lies in finishing strong.