Unai Emery was delighted with the manner of Aston Villa’s victory over Chelsea. Villa produced a professional performance away from home to lift themselves to ninth in the table. The club were level on points with Chelsea ahead of the game but are firmly looking up the table after recording the club’s first win at Stamford Bridge since 2011.
Unai Emery said: “We won and we were speaking how we have to be competitive and clever in the mind, we need to be offensively good and defensively good and brilliant like we were today. It was amazing today defensively, the commitment from every player was amazing. We have to understand sometimes to play good we have to be brilliant defensively. I think we are improving, we are as well being consistent and competitive away. Everybody is in good commitment to work. Confidence is the consequence of practicing and practicing with yourself. The only way I know is to practice, be demanding and think 100% football.”
Despite finally breaking into the top half and putting themselves in the chase for a European spot, Emery had little time to celebrate. In the immediate aftermath, the Villa boss had already begun to turn his head towards Tuesday’s trip to Leicester City – but did not shut down the suggestion that Villa fans could begin to dream.
Unai Emery said: “We are in the top 10, now we have to keep it. We have to play on Tuesday but first we rest and analyse this game. Then we have to be competitive against Leicester and not stop in our ambition.”
Asked if Villa were now in the battle for a European place,
Unai Emery added: “[To qualify for Europe is] very difficult. But if we keep winning points then maybe we can keep adding a new objective. Hopefully yes.”
