Unai Emery plays down Aston Villa’s English Premier League title bid
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacting during the 2-0 English Premier League win at Newcastle United at St James' Park on Jan 25.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Unai Emery insists Aston Villa will be English Premier League title contenders only if they are still in the hunt with three games left.
Villa moved within four points of leaders Arsenal with a 2-0 win at Newcastle United, just hours before the Gunners crashed to a surprise 3-2 home defeat by resurgent Manchester United
Emery’s third-placed side are level on points with second-placed Manchester City as the title race heats up.
Despite Villa’s first victory at St James’ Park since 2005, the always-cautious Emery refused to get carried away dreaming of his club’s first top-flight title since 1981.
“Last week we lost against Everton and no one asked me about contenders for the title, but now yes?” he said.
“Next week we are playing against Brentford at home. Okay, calm. Keep balance is the only objective I have in my mind.
“The only way I know is work every day and if you are performing consistently, maybe you can be better and maybe on Day 35, we can speak differently.”
Emery has routinely stuck to his belief that Villa are underdogs in the title race because of the financial might of Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
He steadfastly returned to that theme when asked to assess Villa’s hopes of finishing top of the pile.
“Of course, we are competing against Arsenal, we are competing against Manchester City, we are competing against Chelsea, we are competing against Liverpool, we are competing against Newcastle, against Tottenham (Hotspur)... Wow, the power they have,” he said.
“But we are competing and we are there. We are getting points.”
Villa, who have won six and drawn three of their 12 away league games, went ahead when Emiliano Buendia picked his spot with a dipping strike that gave goalkeeper Nick Pope no chance.
The Magpies would have been level but for Emiliano Martinez’s superb save from Lewis Miley’s header just before half-time.
Villa struck again at the death through Ollie Watkins, but Emery was hit by a fitness blow after Scotland midfielder John McGinn was ruled out for up to two months with a knee injury.
“We are so, so happy, so proud of the work we did because after we lost against Everton, we needed to react like we did,” Emery said.
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior hailed the performance of 18-year-old Estevao Willian, who scored their first goal and set up another for Joao Pedro in their 3-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Jan 25.
Estevao scored his first goal since November in the 34th minute, running from his own half to seize a back pass from Jaydee Canvot.
The Brazilian then assisted compatriot Pedro to put Chelsea 2-0 up early in the second half.
Enzo Fernandez netted the Blues’ third via the spot before Chris Richards pulled one back late on despite Adam Wharton’s dismissal in the 73rd minute.
“He’s a player with special abilities, special talent,” Rosenior said about Estevao.
“What makes me so happy is all 11 men are back behind the ball. That’s why he gets the space... I thought it was a top team performance away from home.”
Rosenior, who took charge earlier in January
