Surely Villa can't keep up their illogical title challenge

It could amount to a triumph of reason. Arsenal top the Premier League table after seeming to plan for every eventuality, fill in every gap in the squad, take care of every small detail.

- RICHARD JOLLY SENIOR FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT

Arsenal have the best defence, the fewest defeats, the reputation as the set-piece specialists. They are building a title challenge on the most solid of foundations.

But the battle at the summit could be between the logical and the illogical. Aston Villa’s surge defies received wisdom and footballing orthodoxy. History and geography, too, given that Villa have not been champions since 1981 and only one Midlands club has in the Premier League era: Leicester, whose glory was more stirring because it was illogical.

Like Claudio Ranieri then, Unai Emery is now not talking about the title. The context may justify that stance. Arsenal were perfectly prepared for the start of the season. Villa seemed utterly unprepared. One of their premier players, Emi Martinez, started the campaign suspended. Another, Ezri Konsa, got sent off in the opening match.

They were the last of the 92 Premier and Football League clubs to score a goal this season; that belated first, from Harvey Elliott, came in a Carabao Cup exit to Brentford and from a player who has since been exiled from first-team contention. Villa did not win a game this season until 25 September, 39 days after Arsenal, 41 after Liverpool.

Yet that victory over Bologna was the first of 15 in 17 matches in all competitions for Villa. They have won their last nine in a row, six of them in the Premier League. Construct a table since 25 September and Villa are three points clear at the top, with 19 points more than Liverpool, who spent £450m in the summer.