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Emery says rising expectations driving red-hot Villa / Photo: Darren Staples - AFP
NYSE - LSE
Emery says rising expectations driving red-hot Villa
Unai Emery said Friday that greater expectations were fuelling Aston Villa's Premier League charge as his in-form side target a rare victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
A 3-1 win against the Red Devils in Emery's first match at the helm, in November 2022, is Villa's only home league victory against United since 1995.
The Spaniard has transformed the fortunes of the former European champions in his three years in Birmingham.
Villa are third in the Premier League, just three points behind leaders Arsenal after a stunning run of 10 wins in 11 Premier League games.
It is a dramatic turnaround for the club, who failed to win any of their opening five league games, scoring just one goal in the process.
"Be humble, and work like we are doing the last years, but especially the last two months," Emery said at his pre-match press conference.
"I think the players, after our poor start, they involved with me as well in the demand I have and we are trying to set in the squad every day.
"How we want to work, how we want to be demanding ourselves, and how we can get consistency."
Emery said his players were building on last season, when they finished sixth in the Premier League and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
Villa's red-hot form has sparked dreams they could compete for a first league title since 1981.
"How we perform, the last year is an example and it's an experience for us," said the Spaniard. "And sometimes we were performing well, we were achieving our objective.
"But maybe if we were getting our demands higher, maybe even we could get something more.
"And this is the reason now, this is the third year I am here, I am really very motivated but more demanding even than when I arrived here."
Emery is keen to improve on a shocking home record against United.
"My objective has a lot of things to improve, a lot of things to work, a lot of things to set as a target, being ambitious, and the first one is on Sunday, to beat Manchester United.
"I think in 30, 31 years, only three times at home, Aston Villa beat Manchester United. And I think this is a really crazy number for Aston Villa."
L.Pelletier--SMC
