The first two years of Unai Emery's reign as Aston Villa manager was a frictionless ascent from relegation fears to Champions League music.
But over the international break Villa were left to stew on four consecutive defeats in all competitions and a record of just one win in six in the Premier League. It is, by any measure, the lowest ebb of the Emery era so far.
It’s a minor blip not a crisis, salvageable with a few tweaks or a slice of good luck, yet there is a feeling that Aston Villa aren’t quite as good as they were this time last year.