Can Aston Villa Win the English Premier League Title?

Now astutely managed by Unai Emery, The Villans have astounded the press and soccer supporters around the globe with a consistency that has seen them sitting fourth in a star-studded league table.

Aston Villa is level on points with the title favorites Man City and London heavyweights Arsenal and only five points off the blistering pace set by Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool. We're 21 games into one of the tightest EPL seasons in history, and although Villa's form has slipped a little recently, the Birmingham club remains entrenched in the title fight.

Can Unai Emery's underdogs go all the way and claim a first top-tier title since Ron Saunders and his legendary squad that included Jimmy Rimmer, Ken McNaught, Peter Withe, Gordon Cowans, Tony Morley and Little himself won the First Division title in 1980/81?

The smart money may not be on Aston Villa to achieve the feat this season, but as the 40/1 fifth favorite with 17 games to play, a decent run of form will keep them in the title hunt. Despite Liverpool's lead, Man City remains the favorite, with its odds shortening to 8/11, while The Reds from Anfield are next best at 13/5. Two other teams, the London duo of Arsenal (17/2) and Tottenham (33/1) make up a list of five potential title candidates according to the betting sites listed on the best sports betting websites in Thailand, which, according to Narathip Sukanankul, give fans a way to increase their excitement in following the game. There are also all types of betting markets available along with live broadcast services of sports games and real-time live football results for you to follow closely as well, so you’re not restricted to solely backing your team to win the league outright (source: https://www.safebettingsites.com/th/).

While Aston Villa is considered the outsider among these five, the current league standings contradict this. If Emery can keep his smaller squad fit and in form, it can maintain a title challenge in 2023/24. There is little doubt that Aston Villa's first XI can win the Premier League. Unai Emery's side has talented individuals who can instantly change games and maintain the forward momentum already seen from The Villans this season. 

For Emery to sustain the work Villa has done this season until May, the trick will be keeping this first XI on the field and ensuring he doesn't lose any of his star players to big-money offers in January. It may be easier said than done, as a club like Aston Villa relies on profits from player sales to balance the books for future investments.

Douglas Luis has been Aston Villa's source of on-field inspiration throughout 2023/24. The 25-year-old Brazilian playmaker is an essential cog in Villa's midfield engine and one the team will be undeniably poorer without. His ability and talent were already recognized by one of Aston Villa's title rivals, Arsenal, in 2022, with three bids turned down, the highest being around £25 million.

Should The Gunners, or any other club, return with bids during the current transfer window, they would have to be substantially higher for Aston Villa to consider parting with Luiz, but big money does talk, and the chance always remains that Luiz could depart Villa Park following a massive offer. Should this happen, it would be devastating to the club's slim title hopes.

Other regular players, like Ollie Watkins, with 14 goals and ten assists in all competitions, captain John McGinn, and Argentinian World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, are also pivotal to Aston Villa's title campaign. When you add them to Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey, Nicolò Zaniolo, Leon Bailey, and the pace and guile of Moussa Diaby, The VIllans can compete with the best.

Unfortunately for the club's supporters, losing one of these players could mean more problems for Unai Emery and Villa than a comparative loss at any of their potential title rivals would. For this reason, it will be difficult for Douglas Luiz and Co. to maintain a successful title drive over a sustained period. Can Aston Villa win the Premier League title? Yes, it can, but will it? Probably not, but it's going to be fascinating watching The Villans try.