Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has delivered a clear message to Tottenham Hotspur as the relegation-threatened London side travel to Villa Park for a must-win Premier League showdown.
Despite juggling a Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest, Emery insists his squad remain fully focused on Sunday’s league meeting with Spurs — a blow to those hoping Villa might rotate heavily.
Spurs Facing the Drop
Tottenham are fighting for survival, with Opta’s Supercomputer tipping them to join Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi has urged his players to “leave everything on the pitch” as he bids to engineer a late escape.
Emery: “Our Only Focus Is Tottenham”
Speaking via The Birmingham Mail, Emery dismissed the idea that European distractions would weaken Villa’s resolve:
“We are now focusing on the match on Sunday against Tottenham. Yesterday is done. We will analyse Forest later — the priority now is the Premier League.”
He added that issues involving refereeing and VAR from the first leg are “finished business”, with full attention turned to domestic matters.
Champions League Not Secured Yet
Villa sit eight points clear in sixth, closing in on a Champions League return. Yet Emery insists his team still need points:
“There are teams behind us performing well — Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea.
We must win our own matches. The first is against Tottenham.”
Emery highlighted the squad’s consistency, noting that while recent performances fluctuated, the club remains in a strong position heading into the season’s final stretch.
Spurs’ Hopes of Villa Rotation Fade
With Villa competing in Europe and dealing with a demanding schedule, Spurs supporters may have hoped the Midlands side would rest key players. Emery’s stance makes clear: full strength, full focus, no favours.
Tottenham, desperate for points after losing Xavi Simons to a season-ending ACL injury, now face a far tougher assignment than hoped.
