Aston Villa blip no cause for concern but Unai Emery does have key decisions to make

It's taken two years, but is five-game blip anything to be worried about?

’s brilliant stewardship during that time has led the club to heights few thought possible when he was unveiled as successor. It has been one success after another - saving the club from relegation, securing European football and then qualification after a club record was set for successive home victories.

Only last month Jhon Duran rekindled memories of past glories when his magnificent virtuoso strike against felled the Bavarian giants in a re-run of the 1982 final.

Three victories from three in their Champions League qualification games had left them top of the pile and just about hanging on the coat tails of the early-season pacesetters in the .

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These are heady days in B6. Not seen for at least one generation and a half. The good times, they are a-rolling.

But ever since Evanilson bagged an equaliser at the death for at Villa Park, the good ship has been knocked ever-so-slightly off course.

Four defeats have followed. One in the Carabao Cup to , two in the Premier League away at and and the other in Bruges.

Nine goals have been conceded and four scored. It’s way too early to be saying the cracks have started to appear. In fact, there is an argument to say that Emery has never had it so good as Villa’s boss.

Why? He has several players returning from long-term injuries. Options are opening up for him.

For example, Boubacar Kamara had struck up a lovely relationship in the heart of Vila’s engine-room with Douglas Luiz. The Brazilian has moved to Italy and Amadou Onana has taken his place. However, Kamara is good enough to play for France and his return from knee ligament issues is welcome.

It’s a similar story with Tyrone Mings. Leave for one moment, if you can, the brain-freeze he suffered during last week’s trip to Bruges. A left-footed English centre-half. An imposing presence.

He doesn’t exude Pau Torres’ calm authority on the ball. But then, it’s unlikely Virgil van Dijk would have been able to talk down to the big stopper had he tried the same trick with Mings that he did with the Spanish defender on Saturday evening.

Whether Mings is first-choice is open to debate. But what it does afford Emery is another option.

It’s a similar tale with Emi Buendia. The little playmaker who also enjoyed his moments in the sun immediately after Gerrard left. His long-term injury - like Mings and Kamara another knee problem - gives Emery another option.

It’s all a far cry from the late stages last year when a patched-up Villa team just about scraped over the line.

Jacob Ramsey has returned to full fitness. And if Villa have missed anyone in the past few weeks, then there is an argument to suggest that Ross Barkley is that man.

Barkley may not have started too many matches. Youri Tielemans has been Villa’s player-of-the-season so far - and Onana cost £50m and will expect to play but Emery’s side has often looked better when the ex-Chelsea man has been in it - particularly at home.

Up front, there is an option with Jhon Duran now settled. Mind you, he is desperate to start matches and this has put pressure on spearhead Ollie Watkins.

The England international was unnerved by Danny Ings’s availability as a replacement for him during Dean Smith’s time at the club. Is that feeling being replicated again now that Duran’s star is undoubtedly on the rise?

There are also one or two minor gripes among the fan base. Emery said that he wanted to attack all four competitions Villa were competing in this season.

Given that it has been 28 years - and counting - since they last lifted any meaningful silverware, and the club’s boss said he wanted to take the Carabao Cup seriously, it disappointed fans to see some of the young fringe players given a run-out against Crystal Palace.

The likes of Jamaldeen Jimoh, Kadan Young and Lamare Bogarde was not what they were expecting. Villa needed to win just two games to advance to the last eight.

It was an opportunity passed up, in the eyes of many when the Eagles secured passage thanks to a 2-1 win.

It was tight in Bruges last week but the final score was fair. Just as it was in north London and on Merseyside.

Emery has credit in the bank and time on his side. With four matches out of the next five at Villa Park, it’s too soon to start saying the wheels have fallen off.

But the nuts on them might need tightening up in the next couple of weeks.