Aston Villa play Tottenham on Friday night with their Champions League qualification hopes on the line
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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Respect... Villa boss Unai Emery(Image: PA)
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery sat down with the media ahead of his side's Premier League clash against Tottenham.
A win for Villa could lift them into the top five by the end of the night, while Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Here is every word Emery said in his pre-match press conference...
How much are you looking forward to tomorrow?"I am wishing to play. I don't want holidays because we are in a very good moment after a long season, but now we are very, very motivated, very excited to play at Villa Park tomorrow for our objectives.
"We have in front of us the chance to play again in Europe. As well, it's not in our hands, but we can have some option to play in the Champions League again. I'm focusing on Tottenham because I know the most difficult way we can have is our own way—playing against Tottenham tomorrow and how we can beat them."
Is it difficult to know what to expect from Spurs?"They are trying to manage playing in the Premier League and the Europa League. How they are performing in the Europa League is really fantastic, and they are in the final. How they can prepare as well as possible for the final is, of course, maybe their first objective tomorrow.
"I think they are going to play with their better players. They are going to try to compete and get their best performances to be ready for the final. As well, playing in the Premier League—each match for their supporters, for the league—is always important.
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"I expect from them the best preparation for tomorrow and for the final. They are going to play with the best players they have, and maybe some players are coming back after being injured, or someone is not available for tomorrow.
"But I know tomorrow we have to be at our best, and we have to play with 100 per cent focus on our game plan for 90 minutes, respecting them."
Do you look at the permutations?"I can't. Last time, with some calculations about how it was coming... because I was thinking and doing the calculation—two, three, four, five, six matches before. We did not arrive until now with the opportunity we have.
"Only tomorrow's match, only tomorrow’s three points, is how we can beat the opponent and how we can add more points to the table.
"This is our responsibility, and this is our focus. This is really how I can speak with the players—how we are preparing the match for tomorrow, and enjoy and be motivated, excited with our supporters.
"Also, how important the match is tomorrow—the points we are going to face tomorrow—and tomorrow we will need the supporters transmitting their energy and wishes to us.
"We have to connect tomorrow at Villa Park again with our supporters and enjoy playing, competing, and doing our best."
Does the game changing to a Friday night actually benefit you?"We are playing our matches all season—Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Champions League—when they are setting the schedule, and tomorrow we will see.
"We are going to play, try to win, get three points, doing our work. If we are doing our work, we will be happy—and of course, another team."
How important will the fans be?"Last week we were speaking about the timing of the schedule, and I was thinking for our supporters, for them to play on the weekend.
"Maybe it was easier for them [on the weekend], but tomorrow is a good time—7.30pm on Friday before the weekend. I think all our supporters can come to the stadium to be with us at Villa Park.
"Hopefully, the stadium will again be full with the supporters, and we need everybody helping us, supporting us, and trying to get our best through them.
"Our commitment with the supporters is also a huge commitment to try to share our moment with them."
Can you assess Spurs’ season?"I respect them a lot—massive respect for Tottenham, for the players, for the coach. Last year, this coach was really doing a fantastic job, and everybody was so focused on how we could beat them because they were performing tactically and individually fantastically.
"And this year, of course, in the Premier League they are not being consistent for different circumstances, but analysing them in the Europa League, they are doing a fantastic job. Fantastic how they are performing and playing.
"Their style is still very, very threatening for the opponent—playing in the Premier League, playing in the Europa League, and performing, of course, better in the Europa League.
"I think tomorrow they are going to try to get their best performances—maybe with different players. My expectation is that they will play their starting players because they will feel fit for the match in the final, and as well because every team, in my experience here in the Premier League, respects the Premier League.
"And this is my respect for everything—the coach, Tottenham, the Premier League, the moment we are in, the moment they have, how they are playing. Their style in the Europa League is a very difficult one to stop, and they have very good players."
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What is the team news?"Youri and Marcus are not available tomorrow. Ramsey is suspended. The other players are available."
Will Tielemans be fit for the United match?"We have to do each step forward—testing and analysing how he is recovering. I don’t know if Tielemans will be available physically. They [Rashford and Tielemans] are working in the training facilities every day and feeling better."
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