Football Season Guide

Aston Villa got off to a great start in 2020/21 and registered four straight victories, including a 7-2 triumph over reigning champions Liverpool, but inconsistency and Jack Grealish’s 14-game absence due to injury paid their toll to the team. Villa came close to clinching a top-half position, but finished 11th after mustering a respectable 55 points in what can be considered as a very good campaign. Emiliano Martinez stood out in goal and helped Aston Villa keep the third-best clean sheet record in the Premier League, while Ollie Watkins netted 14 goals and both are expected to be vital cogs in Dean Smith’s well-oiled machine. Aston Villa’s top priority this summer was to keep hold on Grealish, but they failed to convince their star to stay and they have signed a talented winger in Emiliano Buendia, an experienced striker in Danny Ings and a promising forward in Leon Bailey to strengthen their attack. Following the signings of the three aforementioned forwards, Villa's frontline is expected to be their main strength in 2021/22, should they manage to gel upfront. Having cashed in on Grealish, they have raised enough funds to bring in squad depth, something they lacked last season and prevented them from competing for European positions.