Jadon Sancho earns Aston Villa start as impressive reveal proves his worth to Unai Emery
Jadon Sancho has certainly shown a lot of promise in very few starting appearances for Aston Villa this season.
Sancho joined Aston Villa from Manchester United on a season-long loan, although after 12 appearances and four starts, he is still waiting for his first goal under Unai Emery.
The 25-year-old is yet to start a Premier League game for the Villans, and his only real minutes have come in the Europa League, where Aston Villa currently sit third in the table.
The English winger was incredibly lively during Villa’s 2-1 victory against Young Boys on 27 November, and has been a real threat in Europe.
Despite only playing 127 minutes in the top flight, Sancho‘s magic on the ball has him topping two stats among Villa players, and it certainly means that he should be trusted more.
Jadon Sancho has more xA per 90 than any Aston player
Sancho has endured a miserable spell at Man United since he joined the Red Devils in 2021, and he is yet to prove himself in the Premier League.
He did show signs of promise at Chelsea in 2024-25, scoring three league goals for the Blues, and perhaps hasn’t gotten the chance he deserves in B6.
According to FotMob, Sancho has the most successful dribbles per 90 (2.1) and the highest expected assists per 90 (0.39) of any Aston Villa player in the Premier League this season.
| Stat | Sancho |
| Appearances | 4 |
| Pass accuracy | 88.3% |
| Chances created | 11 |
| Dribble success | 66.7% |
Sancho has performed brilliantly in Europe, and his 19 touches in the opposition box show that he can be a huge threat in the final third when properly unleashed.
With the Villans playing an obscene amount of games over the festive period, Sancho will likely have more of an opportunity to showcase his value to the squad.
Emery’s side face games against Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal later in December, and no one will be more eager to perform than the 25-year-old winger.
The 25-year-old’s contract expires in June 2026, and with the England international keen to start entering negotiations with clubs when the January transfer window opens, he’ll be desperate to prove himself with potential suitors watching.
Even though every Villa fan is overjoyed with Emi Buendia’s brilliant run of form, Sancho is the one suffering as he watches on from the bench.
Emi Buendia’s revival at Aston Villa has harmed Jadon Sancho’s minutes
Villa’s 2-1 win over Arsenal on Saturday came courtesy of a 95th-minute winner from Buendia, and that summed up the contrasting fortunes of both players.
Buendia also scored a stunning winning goal against Tottenham earlier in the season, and alongside Donyell Malen, he is at the top of the Premier League scoring charts for Villa.
With Villa playing John McGinn on the right wing to help create a narrow structure, Sancho’s strengths aren’t suited to this style of play at the moment.
However, he has proven himself to be an incredibly useful asset this season, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets his chance.
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