Aston Villa’s slow start to the Premier League has left Unai Emery seeking progress, with the club yet to score in their first four matches. Financial restrictions, the recent sale of key players, and a midweek Carabao Cup exit have compounded a difficult period, but the team remains confident as they prepare for Sunday’s trip to Sunderland.
Emery has highlighted the challenges posed by financial rules, including UEFA’s squad cost rule (SCR) and the Premier League’s profitability regulations, which have limited Villa’s transfer activity. Despite late additions such as Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho, and Victor Lindelöf, senior players acknowledge more reinforcements could have invigorated the squad, while some high-profile signings have struggled to make a consistent impact.
Comparisons with last season show that early-season scoring droughts are not unprecedented, though Villa’s current record—only the fifth Premier League team in history to fail to score in their opening four games—is a cause for concern. Nevertheless, Emery remains focused on improving consistency in the league while also aiming for a strong run in the Europa League, a competition in which he has previously achieved significant success.
With Sunderland followed by Fulham and a Europa League clash with Bologna, Villa hope to regain momentum and demonstrate that, despite a challenging start and regulatory hurdles, progress is still possible under Emery’s guidance.
