Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has firmly dismissed any premature discussion of a Premier League title challenge, insisting his focus remains strictly on the immediate future as his team prepares for a crucial clash.
Focus on the Present, Not the Future
The Spanish boss explained his philosophy ahead of Villa's trip to face league leaders Arsenal on Tuesday night. A victory at the Emirates Stadium would see his side draw level on points with the Gunners at the campaign's halfway mark and set a new club record of 12 consecutive wins.
Emery stressed that constantly looking ahead to May would ruin the enjoyment of the current journey. "If we are thinking today about day 38, the life is passing. We are not enjoying," he stated emphatically.
Learning from Past Experience
The Villa boss pointed to a telling precedent to justify his cautious outlook. He recalled that two years ago, the club also had 39 points after 19 matches, yet finished the season a distant 23 points behind champions Manchester City, despite ultimately securing a fantastic fourth-place finish.
"To speak about the title, not make sense for us, now, in December. For me, not make sense," Emery added, underlining that his opinion on the matter had not changed despite the team's brilliant form.
The Arsenal Challenge Awaits
All of Emery's energy is directed towards the formidable task of facing Mikel Arteta's Arsenal. Villa are unbeaten in their last two Premier League visits to the Emirates, winning 2-0 in April 2024 and drawing 2-2 the previous season.
Emery acknowledged the scale of the challenge, describing Arsenal as "the best team" and "the most difficult challenge we can face now." He expects a fierce response from the Gunners after Villa beat them at Villa Park just three weeks ago.
"We are so, so motivated, how we are getting this moment playing against them," he said, highlighting the three-point gap as the squad's primary motivation, not distant title dreams.
For Emery, the pride is in the ongoing project—the tactical, mental, and collective building—and in tackling each challenge as it comes, rather than speculating on where it might all end in five months' time.
