Matt Maher: Despite all Unai Emery's success Aston Villa fans still fear the worst

And yet Monday’s FA Cup draw, which saw them handed a home tie against Newcastle, was still met with groans and a general air of misgiving.

Granted, easier ties were certainly available. In an ideal world, you’d rather be at home to Salford City, Wigan or Mansfield than the Magpies.

This is also the second straight season Villa, who knocked out Tottenham on the road last weekend, have been drawn against Premier League rivals in the third and fourth rounds of the competition.

But just consider it, for a moment, from Newcastle’s point of view.

They have been handed an away tie at a venue where only two visiting clubs have escaped with victory in the past 18 months.

Villa have won 23 of their last 28 matches with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal among those to have been beaten.

Alongside a trip to the Emirates or the Etihad, going to Villa Park is what every club with aspirations of winning the Cup most wanted to avoid. Statistically, over the last 12 months, it is the toughest place to get a result in Europe.

Yet still, there remains a mood of impending doom, a belief despite all the joy of the past three-and-a-bit years, the good times can never last.

In fairness, that’s because they usually do where Villa are concerned, usually around three years into a manager’s reign. Just ask Ron Atkinson, Brian Little, John Gregory and others. The list goes on.

That is why what Emery is achieving this season is so significant, yet it will probably take a trophy - maybe even two - before fans really start believing the good times are here to stay.

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Speaking of mindsets, just what on earth happened to Manchester United’s sense of ambition?

Perhaps Michael Carrick will do a good job with a squad which, while flawed, has some talented players.

Yet the thought of United even risking an entire half of a season on a manager most recently sacked by Middlesbrough would have once been unthinkable.