Fixtures
- Aston Villa Vs. Manchester City – Sat, Dec 21st 2024, 12:30
Aston Villa’s final game before Christmas Day sees reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit Villa Park.
And ahead of the match, manager Unai Emery spoke to reporters from Bodymoor Heath on Friday afternoon.
Here are the key lines from his press conference…
On Villa’s schedule…
“It’s a very tough match and an exciting match for us. The motivation of playing against Manchester City at home for our supporters is going to be great, everything we are going to face tomorrow with our supporters in Villa Park.
“We’re respecting them a lot. My assessment is to keep going. We are trying to get better in the league and accepting everything we are doing, always trying to improve.
“Tomorrow is a very good test and another competition. The Champions League is coming, FA Cup too, and my assessment now is only thinking about the next match.”
On Manchester City’s form…
“I’m a little bit surprised, but it’s football. He’s (Pep Guardiola) the best.”
He added: “We’re facing each match respecting the competition. It’s the most difficult competition in the world.
“Each team is giving us a lot of information about how we are and how we are facing them. Tomorrow we face the best team from the last few years, clearly, in the Premier League.
“Maybe they’re not being consistent because of different circumstances, but they are the best and their coach is the best.”
On the level of the Premier League…
“I arrived here two years ago and I was here before. It’s always been very difficult. To be consistent like they are usually being is the most difficult.
“They were being successful over the last few years, being consistent in everything. They will again be getting the good performances and they have time to be a winner again in this competition.
“Tomorrow we are going to face them and it’s most important how we are going to face them. How we are going to respond, how we are going to test them – this is the most important thing for me.”
On improvements to make…
“We are being consistent, but to be in the top level we need more in everything. We are patient with our process.
“We are accepting everything in our way, trying to get better. Tactically, emotionally, mentally, we are trying to get experiences, winning and sometimes losing, trying to be positive as well.”
