Aston Villa Eye Europe After 2-1 Win Over Tottenham
Unai Emery says it is his “dream” for Aston Villa to go into their final match of the season with a chance of qualifying for Europe after victory over Tottenham continued their transformation from relegation strugglers to continental contenders.
Villa climbed to seventh after defeating Tottenham, their sixth consecutive home league win which moved them level on 57 points with their sixth-placed opponents.
Aston Villa were 19th in the table after losing four of their first five Premier League games of the season.
With two matches left – at Liverpool on 20 May and at home to Brighton on the final day eight days later – they have a chance of qualifying for Europe for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
“If we can play here against Brighton [on the final day of the season] with the opportunity of getting into Europe, it is my dream,” said Emery.
“We can be happy and excited about our position.”
Brighton, in eighth spot, are two points behind Villa with three games in hand.
But Villa have made impressive progress under Emery, who said he did not think Europe was achievable when he officially took charge on 1 November, when Villa were one point above the relegation zone after Steven Gerrard was sacked.
“No, it was a process, but I told the players if we can have chances to go there we are going to try to get it,” added the former Arsenal boss. “If we didn’t get it, it’s not a fail. It’s a process.”
Villa took control against Tottenham through Jacob Ramsey’s tidy eighth-minute finish which was followed by Douglas Luiz’s free-kick.
Spurs, who can no longer finish in a Champions League place, were flat and uninspiring, although Harry Kane did score a consolation from the penalty spot after he was fouled by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Tottenham failed to register a single attempt on goal in the first half as Villa completed the double over their opponents for the first time since the 1995-96 season.
Aston Villa trailed Tottenham by 14 points in the Premier League table as recently as 11 March, but their revival under Emery has been nothing short of remarkable.
Their 14th win in 23 Premier League games under Emery was thoroughly deserved, although it was not until Luiz’s lovely 72nd-minute finish from a free-kick that Villa could relax.
Villa have not played in Europe since going out of the Europa League play-off round to Rapid Vienna in 2010.
Under Emery, they have given themselves a great chance of returning to the continent after another assured performance in front of their own fans.
Martinez produced a fine save to deny Kane a second-half equaliser before he was beaten by the Tottenham captain from the spot.
Even that, however, failed to dampen the full-time celebrations as Villa took a huge stride towards qualifying for Europe.
“We want to connect with our supporters, get the energy and give them our energy, and this is the sixth win in a row here,” said Emery.
