John McGinn says Unai Emery has already cemented his position as one of Aston Villa’s greatest managers as the Spaniard celebrates two years in charge sitting atop the Champions League table.
The former Arsenal boss, who was appointed on October 24, 2022, enjoyed an early anniversary present as his side went top of the Champions League table with a 2-0 win over Bologna at Villa Park on Tuesday for three wins out of three.
They are also off to their best Premier League start since 1998, with five wins from eight games putting them fourth in the table.
It is an extraordinary turnaround for the Birmingham-based club, who were deep in relegation trouble when Emery took over from Steven Gerrard.
Villa captain McGinn said Emery, who won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal, had already proved himself among Villa’s elite.
“We are excited. I think the manager is the only person who does not get excited,” said the Scotland international, who scored the opening goal against Bologna.
“He just focuses his full energy all the time, like he says every single day he is that demanding on us.
“He does not let us take our foot off the gas so we can use energy and enthusiasm, the excitement we have, but his determination and intensity is unmatched.
“No matter what happens until now and whenever he leaves — we hope it’s never — he will certainly go down as one of our club’s greatest managers.”
Villa followed up victories over Young Boys and Bayern Munich with a comfortable win over the Serie A side to make it nine points from nine in the Champions League.
That could already be enough to ensure they make it through to the play-off round of the revamped competition, but their eyes are on finishing in the top eight and qualifying automatically for the last 16.
“We are proud of where we are, top of the league table at the minute,” McGinn said before Wednesday’s fixures.
“It has put us in a great position to go and kick on. Our aim is obviously to qualify first and foremost for the next round, but if we can take it into the top eight and carry this on it would be brilliant.”
