In the days before his most satisfying result so far as Villa manager, Emery sat with his assistant Pako Ayestaran and talked about the changing landscape of the Premier League. Somehow, the Champions League was in sight. Villa wanted to show what they were made of and did so by brushing Newcastle aside after Emery came up with the perfect way for them to win.

It was the 3-0 defeat of Newcastle on April 15 that reduced the gap to the top four to six points. Newcastle demolished to show signs of progress So, how close are Villa to closing the gap and perhaps even competing on even terms with the teams currently above them? Their games in recent weeks paint a telling picture. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, believes Villa will be a threat in the top-four race next season after watching Saturday’s 1-1 draw with them at Anfield. The in-form Jacob Ramsey, who has been a crucial goalscoring influence in recent weeks with three in seven appearances, says the players are planning on showing how they can sustain the form shown under Emery - 14 wins in his 24 league games - over a full season.

If they now beat visitors Brighton & Hove Albion in next Sunday’s final round of fixtures, they are guaranteed a place in Europe. Seven points from games against Newcastle, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool - who have been scrapping between themselves for the third and fourth Champions League spots - in the past month shows Villa are not far off. Yet while Villa’s dream of mixing with the continental elite in 2023-24 finished before it even got started, what the closing weeks of the season have shown is how competitive this team have become. “No, very difficult,” he politely put it. “We’d have to win every game!”Įmery, meanwhile, wouldn’t waste time engaging on the topic. Speaking to The Athletic last month, John McGinn smirked when the suggestion of qualifying for UEFA’s blue-riband club competition was put to him. European nights felt like a million miles away at that point and deep down there were never any serious conversations around the Champions League between Emery and his players.

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