The Spaniard has done a superb job since taking charge of the Midlands club in 2022 – including winning the Europa League last season – and the former Villa striker expects the club to continue their progress this term.

Crouch told FourFourTwo magazine: "With what he's done at Aston Villa, Unai Emery deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as elite managers.

"Winning the Europa League was huge, and Champions League football is going to help them take things up another notch in the long term."

The former England international added: "I'm pleased for the fans who've suffered over the years. I interviewed Unai at the training ground, and he's in it for the long haul. Why wouldn't he be?

"They've got ambition and have built a hotel at the training ground. That's important because they might fly back from a European game, sleep there, then do a warm-down the next day.

"He's geared the club up for success in Europe – I think that's what they'll get."

Meanwhile, Crouch also expressed hope that his old club Tottenham can get back to their best this season after a wretched campaign that saw them narrowly escape Premier League relegation last term.

He said: "Robert De Zerbi has been amazing at Spurs.

"Igor Tudor's reign was a disaster – no-one saw that appointment coming and it never even started to make any sense.

"There has been some serious mismanagement for a while now. Spurs haven't bought well enough, they need to get rid of some big players and rebuild.

"A club of that size can't be trying to stay up by a couple of points. I hope to see them back at their best this season."