Troy Deeney makes huge Emery admission at Aston Villa – ‘It pains me’
Aston Villa carried on their impressive form with a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Villans now sit sixth in the Premier League table, one point away from fifth and two from fourth as they look to secure another European finish this season.
Unai Emery also has his side battling in the Champions League and the FA Cup as the West Midlands outfit looks to bring success to Villa Park.
Troy Deeney makes Emery claim
There is still plenty of football to be played in the rest of the season so just how far Villa can go is yet to be seen.
Crucially, the boss brought in reinforcement during the winter transfer window which has provided more squad depth and paid off in terms of performances.
The signings of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio may have been seen as risky by some, but both have delivered already at Villa Park.
Although the West Midlands side are yet to achieve anything solid this season, Troy Deeney has been left gushing over Emery.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (7 April, 8:40 am), Deeney said: “He takes people that we’d consider dodgy signings, so not everyone wanted Marcus Rashford, there was an aura around him where they weren’t sure. Same with Asensio. Look at that, look what they’ve done with those two guys.
“Boubacar Kamara, he’s excellent for them, having him back being that guy that sits in front is fantastic. They’ve still got Ross Barkley to add into the mix when he gets back, so I just think he’s a great manager.
“But it’s a wonderful case study for owners, but for young coaches and managers, because remember, Arsenal hounded him out; they wanted him gone. He was terrible, didn’t know what he was doing. Went to Villarreal, look at the success he had there.
“Went to Villa, after Steven Gerrard and just spun it, the same players just spun them completely on their heads. So I think, in my opinion, and it pains me to say this as a Birmingham City fan, but he has to be manager of the season for me. Has to be.”
Emery taking Aston Villa towards success
There has been plenty of debate at Villa Park over what the priority should be this season, with a trophy catching the eye of supporters, while those at the top would like the revenue secured by European football.
However, at this stage, there is no reason why Villa can’t look to achieve both, especially given the current form they are in.
| Games | Won | Drawn | Lost |
| 31 | 14 | 9 | 8 |
Emery’s men are unbeaten in 12 games across all competitions and with the momentum continuing to build after a massive victory against top-four rivals Forest, they will surely be looking ahead to the Champions League with some excitement.
If Villa do secure their European finish, you would expect them to be an attractive option for plenty of players who are looking for a move this season and therefore, their squad could be even further boosted.
For now, the boss will have his eyes set firmly on the task in front but when a Blues fan is crediting a Villa boss, it must be a sign that things are going in the right direction.