Softfootball understands that Aston Villa’s recent form has added serious fuel to what is becoming one of the most talked-about debates in English football. Aston Villa recently defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League and also defeated Manchester United 2-1 a few days later.
Those wins extended Unai Emery’s side to nine consecutive victories in all competitions, a run that has forced many to re-evaluate Villa’s position in the Premier League landscape. Suddenly, the question is no longer about European qualification; it’s about whether they belong in the title race.
That exact topic became the focus of a lively discussion posted by Rio Ferdinand Present via their official X account, featuring Rio Ferdinand, Joel Beya, and Stephen Howson.
Watch the video below:
Joel Beya was first to strike a note of caution. While he acknowledged Villa’s excellent run, he questioned whether history allows them to be taken seriously as genuine contenders.
Joel Beya said:
Aston Villa, there’s a lot of talk about them recently because they’ve won nine games in a row in all competitions. Are they in the title race? Yes or no? I look at their last three seasons They haven’t amassed more than 70 points.
Rio Ferdinand had little patience for that reasoning. He dismissed the relevance of previous seasons entirely, insisting that football should be judged in the present tense.
If current performances are the metric, Ferdinand argued, Villa have to be included in the conversation. Still, he did flag one concern: squad depth. An injury to Ollie Watkins, he suggested, could expose a lack of cover compared to Manchester City or Arsenal.
Rio Ferdinand said:
Forget three seasons. They have to be. Do not think they are?. City and Arsenal both have deep squads. I look at Aston Villa if Ollie Watkins gets injured.
Stephen Howson went even further in Villa’s defence. He rejected historical comparisons outright, pointing to Leicester City’s improbable title win as proof that progress doesn’t follow neat timelines.
For Howson, what matters is visible improvement, and Villa have plenty of it. He also highlighted the midfield trio of Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara as evidence that this squad can compete at the highest level.
Stephen Howson said:
What does that got to do with anything… Because you lot let Leicester go and win the league when they nearly got relegated a year before on your watch. In your last three seasons, you came second. And what? You can see the progress. Midfield quality for Tielemans, Onana, and Kamara. That’s a class midfield.
The debate then shifted to the dugout. Beya praised Unai Emery as an elite manager, triggering comparisons with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
Ferdinand acknowledged Emery’s proven success but suggested Arteta could surpass him in time. Howson, unimpressed, shut that down fast. Achievements matter more than hypotheticals.
He said:
Yeah, and I could win the lottery this weekend. Let’s leave it what we’ve actually achieved.
Whether Villa can maintain this momentum across a full season remains uncertain. But after nine straight wins and statement victories against major rivals, one thing is undeniable: Aston Villa are no longer outsiders. They’re in the conversation, and the league is starting to feel it.
