Unai Emery wants Aston Villa to embrace pressure of chasing European dreams

Spanish manager insists players should be comfortable with growing expectations ahead of Premier League match at home to Fulham

Aston Villa were sitting 14th in the Premier League when Unai Emery took over as manager in October, they are now up to sixth. PA

Unai Emery insists Aston Villa must embrace the increased expectations after their impressive surge up the Premier Leage table.

Since taking over from Steven Gerrard as manager in October, Emery has overseen a remarkable transformation in the club's fortunes, turning them from relegation candidates into potentially playing European football next season.

Villa were 14th and sitting just three points above the relegation zone when the Spaniard, who previously had a spell in the Premier League as manager of Arsenal from 2018 to 2019, took over the reins.

Under Gerrard, they had won just twice in the league all season and his final game saw Villa thrashed 3-0 at Fulham with the former Glasgow Rangers coach sacked immediately after the match.

Now, after a nine-match unbeaten run, Villa have risen up to sixth place and are very much in the running to seal a spot in either the Europa League or Europa Conference League next season.

And as Villa prepare to take on Fulham once again on Tuesday, it will be a very different team the Cottagers face this time round and Emery is relishing the prospect of trying to secure a top-six finish.

“I need to play under pressure because, to me, to play under pressure means you can achieve and you can be successful in your career,” said four-time Europa League winner Emery. “Trying to be positive when you're not winning, you have to be.

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“Then, when you are facing each match, try to play thinking this is the most difficult match of your life. That is my idea to create here.”

Fulham are currently ninth in the table, having returned to form with back-to-back victories – against Everton and Leeds United – after four successive defeats. But they now face a team at Villa Park that have won their last four home games without conceding a goal.

“They are going to face us being strong,” Emery added. “After the last matches we played at home, keeping four clean sheets and playing very well against Newcastle [winning 3-0], they are going to respect us more than normal.

“As a coach, tactically, I expect a lot from them. They have a lot of different, tactical ways to play against us. For us, tomorrow will be a very difficult match.”