Emery's Villa 2.0 reboot restores optimism before Man City meeting

Unai Emery's impressive 2.0 reboot has Aston Villa's fans in buoyant mood on the fourth anniversary of his appointment, says chief football writer Phil McNulty. Aston Villa fans were in buoyant mood before the Champions League win against Viking at Villa Park When Aston Villa walked out to face Viking in the Champions League, a giant tifo emblazoned with the message 'We've Conquered Before. We're Prepared For More' dropped down from Villa Park's famous Holte End. At the same time, Villa manager Unai Emery was striding along the touchline to a standing ovation as he took the acclaim from supporters. Emery celebrates the fourth anniversary of his appointment from Villarreal when Villa face Premier League leaders Manchester City at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime, his arrival a transformative moment for one of the great old footballing institutions.

He has written his name into Villa Park history, adding to a track record there and at other clubs that marks him down as one of the game's elite operators. And it was reflected in every moment against Viking with an emphatic victory. Villa Park's mood was buoyant and expectant – restored to the state of optimism that came with last season's Europa League triumph following a campaign that saw 54-year-old Emery return the club to the Champions League. It was in sharp