Unai Emery insists Aston Villa ‘are not a contender’ for Champions League places
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery insists his side are not among the Premier League contenders to qualify for the Champions League.
Unai Emery played down Aston Villa’s Champions League credentials as they look to avoid successive Premier League defeats.
The manager believes Chelsea and Manchester United are still better equipped to finish in the top five this season.
Emery takes Villa to Fulham on Sunday following last weekend’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest.
They have not suffered successive top-flight losses this term and it has happened just twice in Emery’s 12 months in charge.
“I want to win on Sunday. I want to win on Sunday. I want to win on Sunday. No more,” the Villans boss – who wants to win on Sunday – said following Thursday’s 2-1 Europa Conference League victory over AZ Alkmaar.
“Still Manchester United and Chelsea are more contenders than us to be in the top four, top five, top seven. We are one team trying to get our opportunity to be there.
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“We are not a contender. We are really a team who has to face every match trying to do all our best, be ambitious and try to improve and build a strong team and a strong structure.
“But when we are focusing on 38 matches, now we are fifth, yes very good. We are not really feeling like we are a contender for the top seven.
“We can dream and we can try to go match-to-match thinking to improve and thinking to be fifth, thinking to get one step ahead in the table.
“We are doing it our way and we are trying to have our dreams, working every day to try and get our dreams.”
Diego Carlos is a doubt after coming off on Thursday while Jacob Ramsey (foot), Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings (both knee) remain out.
“I am always trying to be consistent with my plan and trying to be better today than yesterday and tomorrow better than today,” Emery added.
“These messages are always in my mind and I’m repeating them to the players.”
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