Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has thrown his support behind Aston Villa as genuine contenders in this season’s Premier League title race, following their remarkable run of form under Unai Emery.
Villa secured their ninth straight victory across all competitions by defeating West Ham 3-2 over the weekend at the London Stadium, leaving them within three points of league leaders Arsenal.
Speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, the former England defender insisted that Emery’s side must not be overlooked:
“They have to be [considered title contenders].”
However, Ferdinand identified one major “advantage” that both Manchester City and Arsenal possess over the Villains which could ultimately decide the title outcome during the crucial second half of the season: squad depth and experience.
Ferdinand explained the core concern is the team’s ability to cope with injuries to key offensive players:
“My only concern with them if we’re comparing them with Arsenal and Manchester City… City are the only ones with experience of winning and know how to do it so that puts them at an advantage. City and Arsenal both have deep squads. Whereas I look at Aston Villa and if Ollie Watkins gets injured then they could be bang in trouble. If Morgan Rogers gets injured, who hit two at the weekend, then they’re bang in trouble.”
Villa currently faces multiple injury issues, which validates Ferdinand’s concern: key defender Tyrone Mings is ruled out until early January 2026, and influential midfielder Ross Barkley could be unavailable until late February 2026. Furthermore, key players Emiliano Martínez and Pau Torres have been nursing knocks, underscoring the potential strain on their starting XI.
Aston Villa’s next test, a crucial litmus test for their title credentials, comes next weekend against Ferdinand’s former club, Manchester United.
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