Hull City vs. Aston Villa: Unai Emery looking to avoid matching Ipswich feat against Premier League surprise package

Aston Villa could match an unwanted feat held by Ipswich Town when they play Hull City on Saturday.

Having added Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye to his squad on transfer deadline day, Unai Emery can claim to have enjoyed a productive end to the summer window.

However, the Spaniard is aware that a new-look Villa squad need to click into gear as soon as possible after a disappointing start to the season.

Despite a spirited performance in a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Monday, the 4-0 capitulation at Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening weekend of the campaign has not been forgotten.

Villa now make the trip to the MKM Stadium to face Hull, the surprise package in the division after their back-to-back victories over Manchester United and Coventry.

© Imago / Sportimage

What streak could Aston Villa match in Hull City game?

For all the talent that they have in their squad, Villa are still yet to record a shot on target in this season's Premier League.

Since 2003-04, no side has ever gone three matches at the start of a season in the top flight without scoring or forcing a goalkeeper into a save.

Remarkably, Villa also went their opening three Premier League matches of the 2025-26 campaign without scoring a goal.

Only Ipswich Town - between 1969 and 1971 - have started two consecutive top-flight seasons without finding the back of the net in each of their first three matches.

From Hull City's perspective, they are bidding to do something that has only been achieved by Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02.

Not since the Trotters at the start of that campaign as a newly-promoted team won their opening three games of a Premier League season.

© Iconsport / Zach Forster/Sports Press Photo

Hull defeated Villa on the last occasion that they met in the Premier League, the Tigers prevailing 2-0 back in February 2015.

Aston Villa could also match Arsenal feat...

Having finished in the top four last season, Villa failing to score in their opening three matches would be quite the unwanted feat.

Only Arsenal - all the way back in 1953-54 - have not netted in their opening three games of a top-flight season after previously finishing in the top four.