Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has officially declared Aston Villa as genuine Premier League title challengers this season, issuing a clear warning to current leaders Arsenal and Manchester City.
Under manager Unai Emery, Villa has been in sensational form, currently boasting a nine-match winning streak across all competitions.
Despite a slow start to the campaign, the team has surged up the table. Their fighting spirit was on full display this past Sunday when they mounted a dramatic comeback from two goals down to defeat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium.
Following 16 fixtures, Villa now sits just three points behind Arsenal and one point adrift of second-place Manchester City.
Schmeichel praised their resilience, stating, “To go to that stadium and West Ham, who have not performed well, but better in recent weeks… To go and get three points having been 2-0 down, that is strength.”
He added that their current form is a concern, particularly with Manchester United set to face them next: “That scares me a little bit because the next game we’re going to do is at Villa Park, Villa versus Manchester United, so I’m a little bit scared of that.”