Aston Villa manager Unai Emery believes his team deserves to be competing at the top of the Premier League.
Tonight they get to prove themselves at Old Trafford where it’s not too often they’re seen as favourites for three points in the Premier League. Except on Boxing Day 2024 with Emery’s team sat third in the table.
The Villains blew their chance to go top on Friday night after Nicolo Zaniolo’s leveller in the seventh minute of stoppage time salvaged a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United. However, as things stand, they’re 11 points clear of United in the table.
Emery insists his side deserve to be above United in the table and he feels they’re challenging with the top teams.
“Each team deserves their position in the Premier League,” Emery said, as per the Manchester Evening News. “We demand a lot of ourselves, I’m happy and proud of the work we’ve done so far.
“We’re facing Manchester United better than them in the table at the moment. But they are thought of as a top-seven team more than we are. We have to work out how we can face those teams.
“At the start of the season, we played at Newcastle and lost, then the same at Liverpool but we’ve also won at Tottenham and Chelsea. Once again, we’re away at United and the challenge is more for us than it is at home.
“Our mentality is to keep going and compete every day. We’re consistent and competitive and that’s not changing. We’re aiming to keep this position and do something in the Europa Conference League.”
Emery also suggested there could be potential changes in the team, saying: “We’re focusing and correcting what needs to be corrected.”
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