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Might this season be Aston Villa's moment?

Nine consecutive victories in every tournament - nearing the team's historic mark of 11 achieved back in 1897 - have launched Unai Emery's side into the championship conversation.

This impressive streak has come following Villa failed to win any of their initial five Premier League matches and were the last team in the league to score.

They welcome Manchester United on Sunday before visiting Chelsea and playing leaders Arsenal to finish the year - three games which could shape their role in the title race.

Villa have not claimed a top honour since lifting the League Cup in 1996 but, occupying third place in both the Premier League and Europa League, their long wait could be broken in dramatic fashion.

Avoiding the Spotlight

Unai Emery will not bow to any outside pressure to proclaim Villa are fighting for the championship.

However, the stats tell a story, as their single top-flight defeat since August came against Liverpool in October, and after that Villa have won six straight top-flight games.

Last Sunday's dramatic 3-2 recovery over West Ham perfectly illustrated the character of his side and the momentum they now carry.

"We are not experiencing pressure, we are feeling ambitious and we try to be competitive in Europe and in the Premier League," Emery said. "Enjoy each match, try to prepare then rest. The players must be at ease doing it."

Emery has been deliberate to steer clear of any unnecessary focus on his Villa players. After all, they are garnering sufficient notice through their excellent results.

From Slow Start to Spectacular Surge

That excellent form is in complete contrast to a start of the season in which they were without a victory after their first six matches, including a Carabao Cup loss to Brentford, and did not even register a league goal until a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 21 September.

The squad gathered for talks to assess their alarming start and discuss how to return to form. There was a recognition there had been a carry-over from missing out on the Champions League.

Villa finished sixth last season and failed to reach the top five on goal difference following a controversial defeat by Manchester United on the final day.

After that stalemate at the Stadium of Light they have triumphed in 15 out of 17 fixtures, which includes beating Manchester City 1-0 and this month's dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal.

There has also been evolution rather than revolution under Emery, as seven members of the squad who played in the head coach's first match - a 3-1 victory against United in November 2022 - continue to be important now.

Aiming Higher

"The last year is an model and it's an lesson for us. Sometimes we were performing well, we were reaching our goals, but maybe if we were aiming higher, maybe even we could go further," Emery stated.

He added, "This is the third year I am here, I am really very motivated, but [also] holding higher standards than when I first came. My objective has many aspects to work on."

Ending the Long Wait

The last time Villa won a major trophy - beating Leeds 3-0 in the League Cup - feels like a lifetime ago.

It has been a long wait since, with Villa being defeated in two FA Cup finals and two League Cup finals since then.

Emery, a UEFA Europa League champion with Sevilla and Villarreal, declared on his arrival that the primary objective was to win a trophy. Last season's FA Cup semi-final defeat remains painful.

A Europa Conference League semi-final defeat 18 months ago and a thrilling Champions League quarter-final exit last April indicate they are moving in the right direction.

"Every time we go into a big game now, we have that determination in the back of our heads to show this team we have constructed over the past five or six years is worth more than a quarter-final, worth more than a semi-final," captain John McGinn told reporters. "The determination, I can see it this year."

The decisive run begins now, with Villa poised to discover if they are fated to become kings or merely kingmakers in the title race.