Emery on Manchester United encounter

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa welcome Manchester United to Villa Park on Sunday as they spring back into Premier League action.

The club’s manager held his pre-match press conference of Friday afternoon and faced questions on his team’s big win against Bayern Munich, the mood around the club and facing Erik ten Hag’s United. 

Here’s what he had to say…

On striving for progress…

“I am reflecting a lot every day on how we are doing in our process and how close we are to losing it. In this process, increasing everything around the club – not only players – the objectives, trying to increase the budget through a lot of things, the club is committed to getting better in everything.

“That is clear and the demands are huge. The process is starting with the results we are having in the last two years: we got Conference League, we got Champions League and we are now involved in the Champions League.

“But being consistent is most important. Being consistent starts on the field. There are a lot of examples and I have a lot of examples myself how difficult it is to be competitive and keep being consistent in Europe and how we are getting Europe – through the Premier League.

“To be consistent in the Premier League is the first objective I have. We are playing Champions League and we enjoyed it a lot on Wednesday and the first match we played in Bern. We won two matches and we have six points, but it’s not changing my mind or my perspective.

“I have ambition in this club since I arrived here. Today is the same to be demanding in every match. To be demanding achieving some objectives even before you were planning – to be in Europe seven months after I arrived here. We got Champions League last year and we are getting success in our way sooner than I was thinking.

“Now, my expectation is to keep it. We have to be demanding and don’t relax.”

On changing the mentality since his arrival…

“The mentality is building every day. When we are meeting, when we are training, when we are spending time eating with the players – it’s in everything.

“The mentality is to try to get the best individually and combine with our idea to feel stronger tactically, and mentally. Through each one, try to get the best of everything.

“The mentality is when we are training, when we are meeting, when we are resting because we have to focus on football 75% of our life – the players, the coaches. It works because we are increasing the level we are getting as a club, as a team, as a player.

“Every player is improving, every player is increasing their level. It works and the players are aware of that, but the demand is every day. If we are relaxing one day, we are wrong.”

On Erik ten Hag…

“I have a lot of respect for him. We won the first match when I arrived here and it was fantastic, but after it we’ve lost four matches against them at home and away.

“They are a winning team, they have an experienced coach and experienced players. The club is usually a winning club and they still being winners – they won the FA Cup last year against Manchester City.

“They are not getting consistently good results in the Premier League, but playing only one match, they can exploit their capacity and skill with a huge performance.

“I respect them and I will prepare the match more than how I prepared the match against Bayern Munich.”  

On playing Manchester United…

“We are not favourites to be in the top seven, we are not favourites in the Premier League. We want to be contenders in the process we are, getting points.

“If we are getting to day 20 in January or February, how we are, this is the most important thing. Each match is very important and I was very, very angry on Sunday with how we responded on the field against Ipswich Town.

“I am learning every day and trying to be demanding every match. We can draw there because we played and Ipswich deserved more, but usually we want to build a strong mentality here.

“We are playing on Sunday against Manchester United and I think it’s a huge match for us after we played Bayern Munich because through Premier League we are playing against the best teams in the world.

“Manchester United aren’t in the Champions League now they are playing in the Europa League, but they are a team with a quality players and coach, like teams we are facing in the Champions League.

“On Sunday, we will need the same atmosphere with the supporters in Villa Park like we had on Wednesday. I have no doubt they are going to help and support on Sunday, transmitting their energy and pushing us to get three points.”