Villa are looking to complete the double over the Cottagers for the second successive season this weekend as both sides chase down European qualification. Emery will be hoping to bounce back after their FA Cup exit as focus turns to the Champions League spots. He first spoke on motivation and how important the few remaining game are.
Fans are crucial to qualifying for Europe
“2nd May today, and we are very, very excited. Our motivation is so, so high, motivation to finish the season, really feeling it’s our moment to play, showing as well our capacity through the most important way to get our objective, Premier League.
“And, of course, Villa Park is very, very important. We will need tomorrow our supporters, our fans to be with us.
“Of course, we were during the way this year enjoying different competitions – Champions League, FA Cup – but the Premier League is the consistent way to achieve our objective.
“We have to be together tomorrow. We have to get our best energy through our supporters, transmitting, as well, our energy and trying to play consistently like we are playing in Villa Park. Tomorrow, we will need them.”
The final games are a must-win
Emery then expressed how three points are imperative in Villa’s remaining fixtures if they want to break into the top 5 and secure a Champions League place for next season.
“Every match is important to win, the day one, the day 30, and the day 35 tomorrow.
“Be consistent, trying to get our best, is the challenge we have, and tomorrow how we can respect them, how we can adapt of them, how we can impose, dominate our gameplan through our positioning, through player skills and our wishes.
“Still four matches to play. Tomorrow, we will play (for) three points, and our moment now in Premier League is the objective we were dreaming two years ago, we were setting as an objective this year, but always being ambitious to be in Europe.
“How we are sharing our season with our supporters, with our fans, in everything, is really amazing how we are doing. Tomorrow, we have to get there smiling, focused, and together.”
Emery has a lot of praise for Fulham
The teams looking for European football are separated by just a few points and Emery praised Fulham boss Marco Silva who is one of many top coaches within touching distance of securing a place in the Europa League or Conference League.
“Premier League, historic club, Fulham. Very good coach, very competitive coach – in the Premier League, a successful coach. Very good players, very organised team, very competitive team with the numbers they have, and my respect is massive.
“Then, how we are competing as well, trying to be consistent tomorrow, but we have to respect them and adapt of them being competitive like we are.
“I know their numbers, their objectives to be in Europe. When I arrived here two years ago, they were as well competing with us. Last year they were competing to be in Europe, this year they are competing to be in Europe. It’s not a surprise they are.
“They are a team (who) can get the same way they are doing this year like Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth.
“They are teams, they can be with us, of course, and with the teams, contenders to be in the top six. Fulham is a team, really competitive, and with a clear identity with Marco Silva.”