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Emery daring to dream
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists there is little margin for error in his side’s pursuit of European football after moving up to fifth with a 1-0 victory over Fulham.
Tyrone Mings’ first-half header secured a fifth straight home win for the Villans and extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 10 games.
Villa now sit a point above Tottenham, who face Manchester United on Thursday. Liverpool and Brighton are four and five points behind respectively but with games in hand over the Midlands outfit.
And with Emery’s men still to face all three of their Europa League rivals during the final five games, the Spanish boss is daring to dream but insists there is plenty of work still to be done.
The 51-year-old said: “We are in the Europa [League] position, it is still difficult to achieve.
“The dreams are here and it’s good for everybody — and we can share this with the supporters.
“We’re now a candidate for fifth. But we have to play Liverpool, Tottenham and Brighton.
“With each match we are winning, it is giving us confidence and a chance to get there.”
Next up for Villa, who last played in Europe in 2010, is a trip to Old Trafford to face third-placed United on Sunday.
Vardy as important as they come
Dean Smith says Jamie Vardy is “as important as they come” after the Leicester striker’s late goal secured a potentially crucial draw against relegation rivals Leeds.
Vardy, 36, stepped off the bench to slide home the equaliser at Elland Road following Luis Sinisterra’s opener for the hosts.
The draw saw the Foxes move a point away from the relegation zone, with 18th-placed Everton in action against Newcastle tomorrow night.
With it being only Vardy’s second goal during a difficult season for the Premier League winner, manager Smith said: “[Strikers] know they’re judged by goals.
“It’s not been the most fruitful of seasons for him, but that penalty [he won against Wolves] on Saturday and the goal tonight — he’s as important as they come.
“Who knows, he could end up with eight goals by the end of the season.”
Vardy had another effort ruled out for offside as Leicester threatened to snatch all three points in the closing stages.
Smith added: “I think it’s his 135th Premier League goal, which just shows you the quality of the striker we have. I’m really pleased he got that goal.
“The chance he’s scored today, we’ve seen him take loads of them over time and if we can keep creating chances like that he will take them.”
In good Kompany
Vincent Kompany hailed Burnley clinching the Championship title with a 1-0 win at rivals Blackburn as a “tremendous achievement”.
The Clarets’ promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking had already been secured but Manuel Benson’s stunning winner ensured they will do so as champions.
After coming through a difficult contest in which they were second best at the home of their Lancashire foes, the former Manchester City defender says it will live long in the club’s memory.
Kompany, 37, said: “I don’t know if the lads realise it. I think J-Rod [Jay Rodriguez] does. He understands what it means for the people of Burnley to win the league at Ewood Park, you couldn’t write it.
“And even the scenario of the game. After everybody’s speaking about how good we are on the ball, today to see how good we were defensively, winning challenges, second ball, crosses, everything else. That’s a side of the team I’m proud about as well.
“A day that will live forever for us and a tremendous achievement by the lads.
“There are two awards that you win this season which is promotion and the league, and then there’s two more trophies to win, your two derbies.
“We’ve won all four this season. I know what those games have meant for me in my career.
“We’ve made memories for life. No one can take that away from us. We won the league at Ewood Park.”
