It was a decent time to face Aston Villa. Or at least so went the theory. Since they were prevented from reaching the summit of the division late last year – by, of all teams, Sheffield United – Unai Emery’s side have stuttered slightly.
A run of one victory in five league games had, for the first time since Emery’s appointment, posed more questions than it has offered answers. This then, was an emphatic statement, albeit with the asterisk that the Blades’ defensive generosity was seemingly boundless.
