Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists he isn't surprised by his side sitting in third place with 12 Premier League matches to play this term
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery(Image: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock)
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Unai Emery insists he isn’t surprised to see his Aston Villa side flying high in third, even if the club occasionally flies under the radar.
Villa could move just five points behind Arsenal if they beat Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, despite having won only two of their last six league matches.
With an eight-point cushion inside the top five, Villa’s rivals - both above and below them - have struggled to capitalise on Emery’s side losing to the likes of Everton and Brentford at home.
Having beaten Brighton late last week, Villa are now targeting successive home league wins for the first time since their 11-match home winning run ended against the Toffees in January.
Few would have expected Villa to have the chance to move just five points off the league summit with only 12 matches to play, or to hold a strong lead over their Champions League rivals - but Emery was one of them.
“To be there is a surprise? To be there on game 27? Not for me. Yes [for everyone else]. I am so happy to be there now – so proud,” Emery said.
“There are seven teams contending in front of us. Our challenge now is to keep this and continue this.
“I am looking at the position we are in, to stay there and win matches. Leeds is my focus and my obsession. To prepare my players and the difficulties we are going to face.
“To try to face them, beating them collectively, mentally, individually, with the supporters at Villa Park. They will push us. Playing football with our personality for 90 minutes, that is my obsession.”
“The Premier League is very difficult; to be consistent at this level is the objective. We demand ourselves to get better,” Emery continued.
“Arsenal, they are performing like, wow! Fantastic, brilliant. Dominating. Even when they drew at Wolves, they played a complete match.
“Manchester City can lose one match - but they also have this mentality. They know they will need 38 matches. I have the same. I know that if I focus on only one match – sometimes you can become relaxed.
“You should never relax and never give up. If your level is here [raises hand], you should try for the next level.
“We are like this now. We have players improving and growing a lot over the past three years. But the better teams, they are doing the same. Arsenal are improving players and growing up a lot.
“Each year they are closer to winning the Premier League title. City, they are being consistent all the time.
“We are behind them, trying to be competitive, always trying to break through the highest level we have.”
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