The numbers do not lie.
Eleven straight wins across all competitions, equalling a club record set in 1897 and 1914. Eight successive Premier League victories. Nine goals from substitutes, with two of them coming in a 2-1 victory against Chelsea courtesy of Ollie Watkins. In all five of Aston Villa’s away league wins, they have come from behind to earn three points.
Across the last three Premier League seasons, Villa have won more points from losing positions than any other Premier League side (54). Quite simply, they do not know when they are beaten.
Combining a resilient mentality with Unai Emery’s in-game acumen is a heady concoction for success.
Villa have recovered 18 points from losing positions this term, with the 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge the most startling but in no way a total surprise. In truth, the second-half transformation felt fitting, considering the broader trends of the campaign.
This, however, was the biggest turnaround, with the contrast in performance enormous. Chelsea’s 10 shots to Villa’s zero in the first half became 11 to four in the opposite favour in the second.
The game swung violently from the 59th minute, when Emery made a triple change. Until then, Villa were second best in every facet. They were stifled going forward — Donyell Malen had one touch in the opening 20 minutes — with the team completing just 36 passes in that time.
Tactically, there seemed to be problems, not in keeping with Emery’s usually sound structure. Villa struggled with Chelsea’s in-possession 3-2-5 shape, especially the five players across their back line. By protecting the space behind — rather than stepping onto Chelsea’s attacking midfielders, Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez, or Marc Cucurella — Villa ceded possession and territory.
Chelsea carried overloads in midfield and on the wings. Villa’s narrow ‘wide’ players, Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn, were supposed to carry the ball forward, but spent most of the time running frantically towards their own goal.
Chelsea sucked in Villa with short passes before raking switches of play out wide. They were too slick, too precise and completely dominant, other than on the scoreline, leading by only a goal.
Villa’s back line hung in there, particularly Ezri Konsa and Victor Lindelof, while the front four completed 22 passes between them in the first half, which floundered the plan to hit back on transition.
More than 10 minutes into the second half, Villa’s expected goals (xG) came into focus. Their 0.04 played Chelsea’s 1.99.
The comeback sparked wild celebrations for players and the supporters (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
But Villa have the greatest, most intangible knack. They just win. This time, it was engineered by Emery’s triple change.
Watkins replaced Malen up front, with Jadon Sancho coming on for McGinn. Most crucially, Amadou Onana’s introduction for Buendia pushed Youri Tielemans further forward, with Morgan Rogers, who had been suffocated before then, becoming the second No 10 (attacking midfielder). This enabled Rogers to enjoy a competitive battle with Reece James and have a greater impact.
Rogers could then drift inside to dribble or pick up the ball, in turn proving harder to mark. Having the play in front of him, as opposed to Chelsea’s defender wrestling him from behind, brought his best strengths to the fore and saw him slip in Watkins to equalise.
Ollie Watkins silences Stamford Bridge once AGAIN…🤯 pic.twitter.com/4j0yWZTFDQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 27, 2025
And for U.S. readers:
OLLIE WATKINS’ LATE GOAL GIVES ASTON VILLA 8 PREMIER LEAGUE WINS IN A ROW! pic.twitter.com/fGKMvjtmJp
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 27, 2025
Watkins’ winning header was a throwback to the England striker of two years ago, the athletic, high-jumping leader of the line who was clean and clinical.
“He (Emery) changed it because Chelsea were going man for man, but they had the extra centre-back when we were going long,” Watkins explained to Sky Sports after. “When I came on in the second half, he brought Jadon Sancho and Morgan Rogers on the wing and put Youri Tielemans in the No 10 — so we had an extra man in there. He’s a tactical genius.”
Villa can play average, or even downright poor — they were throughout the first half — yet keep their head down and charge forward, taking punishment but forever wanting to back their opponent up and turn the tide.
Sometimes they do this through one astonishing blow, like a Rogers strike from distance. Here, though, it was the power of the collective. When Watkins equalised, Villa were the team who were going to win the contest.
Watkins threw fist pumps with Onana in perfect synchronisation at full-time. They hurtled towards the away support in the far corner, who for the first time, started to sing, “Now you’re going to believe us, we’re going to win the league.”
brb just watching these scenes on repeat 😤 pic.twitter.com/qfm7EY3AuC
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 27, 2025
Villa are three off the top and continue to do what senior figures at the club insist is a “miracle” after the problems of the summer. Now 10 points ahead of Chelsea, Villa are entrenched in a Champions League spot. This also appeared unthinkable not so long ago.
“(The comebacks) are not a surprise,” said Emery. “It makes us proud, but it is about building a mentality and structure like we are doing. We were so worried in August and September… we didn’t watch the table, but focused on each match. Through creating our stronger structure, we were working hard and we continue to work hard. Our individual players are working hard and are staying responsible and mature.”
It is not yet the new year and Villa have beaten Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea this season. There is no team or tactical puzzle that Villa cannot end up solving within 90 minutes.
In a league where most teams are plagued with inconsistency, possessing the ability to withstand and weather storms in matches grows in importance. The regularity with which Villa snatch wins from the jaws of defeat has happened too many times under Emery to be down to fortune.
It is an enduring, remarkable trait, with the 2-1 victory at Chelsea the clearest illustration. Arsenal are next.
