The Japan Times - Emery 'proud' of Villa even if top-five bid fails

Sixth-placed Villa are outside the top five places that guarantee Champions League qualification on goal difference heading into the last day of the season.

But a victory at Old Trafford against Manchester United, combined with Chelsea or Newcastle failing to win against Nottingham Forest and Everton respectively or Manchester City losing at Fulham, would secure Villa's place in Europe's elite club competition.

Even if results don't go in Villa's favour, Emery will be satisfied with a season that saw them reach the Champions League quarter-finals and FA Cup semi-final while pushing for a top-five place.

"We're ambitious, and our ambition is how we are being demanding over the second half of the season and arriving in the key moment with the possibility to be there," the Villa boss told reporters on Friday.

"It's not in our hands, but we did a really great effort to be here now.

"I'm so proud of our club, our supporters and our players. If we are getting the better gift on Sunday to play Champions League, it will be more."

Although Villa will need help from other results to make the top five, Emery has no intention of checking up on the scores elsewhere while his team are in action.

"In our hands is only our result on Sunday, how we can respond and how we can perform against Manchester United," he said.

"I want only to play our match, only to focus on our match in 90 minutes and try to focus the dressing room on the first half on everything tactically and individually.

"We will not focus on other results. We must win, we must compete and we must get our result."

Villa could not have hand-picked better opponents for the do-or-die match as United return to action for the first time since losing the Europa League final against Tottenham on Wednesday.

United are set for their worst league finish since being relegated in 1973-74 and have lost six of their last eight top-flight matches.

Publicly at least, Emery refused to underestimate United, saying: "Always, I expect the best of them. The greatness of Manchester United is still there. The coach is a great coach and the players are very good.

"We have played here with Aston Villa for three years and I didn't beat them at Old Trafford. My respect for Manchester United is massive."

T.Sato--JT