Zaniolo, Arsenal return and Champions League - every word from Aston Villa's Unai Emery

Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Unai Emery speaks to the media after his side's win at Arsenal

Unai Emery sat down with the media after Aston Villa's remarkable 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Leon Bailey broke the deadlock in the 84th minute before Ollie Watkins doubled Villa's lead by netting his 19th league goal of the season. Here's every word Emery said in his post-match press conference...

How proud are you of your players?

"I am very happy. I think the players were very focused. We were analysing our process as a team and individually. We prepared this match as a very difficult match, but a great opportunity to get three points.

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"We were ready to play strongly. We were ready to play under their pressure during the match. Even then we were convinced we could play in our moment and we did it. We needed the goalkeeper and the defence together. We needed high commitment.

"We had to feel comfortable on the pitch and to try to progressively feel comfortable on the pitch, keeping possession and getting our chances."

Are you contenders for Champions League football?

"Day 33. Okay, 63 … we could now be contenders. We must be very demanding to keep it."

Was that your best performance of the season?

"I don’t know exactly. I think we played more or less the same. Playing against Arsenal in their stadium or at Villa Park, they are both very difficult. Each match has different circumstances and I think it is better to try to be consistent in 38 matches and of course, every match is very important they have three points.

"We have to try and focus each match. Today, we defended fantastic, like we did a lot of times in 90 minutes in Manchester against City, but we lost. Today it was the same idea in the game plan. We also used some clips of that match - we did the same. We avoided some more chances of Arsenal and we got more chances for us. We were clinical scoring goals."

How much courage does it take to play out from the back at Arsenal?

"We are trying always to dominate and get possession and avoiding their press. We were concerned before the match because the only way to win here was to keep the ball more than Arsenal in some moments. If we were always running then it would be hard for 90 minutes doing it. Today, we focused on it. Through it we can feel better."

Is there a stronger feeling because of the connection with Arsenal?

“No. To come here is something important for a coach because as a coach it’s very difficult to come here and beat Arsenal. After my time here, I came here two times – one with Villarreal and one now. My moment here was fantastic as well individually but now everything is for Aston Villa, for me it’s the same three points we go for against Brentford and next week Bournemouth."

Did you change anything at half time to be more effective against the press?

“No, the same. The first half was the same game plan, only the first half we didn’t do because the opponent was pushing being more successful on the pitch as well tactically. The second half we tried to continue building up, trying to avoid the press and then trying to maybe find Zaniolo with the long ball, the hold up was fantastic. After it, we were dominating more. Sometimes, the opponent were going lower and we were with the possibility to keep the ball more."

You’re the first team this season to prevent Arsenal scoring in both games - how much credit does your defence deserve?

“It depends. When you are preparing one match, you know maybe if you can deserve to win or deserve to lose but you have to be clinical and you have to keep being consistent in your mind. To beat Arsenal here or to beat Arsenal in Villa Park is very difficult because they are very competitive.

“They are doing amazing this season and they are even competing - like us - in Europe against Bayern Munich. Poof, these are very tough matches but we are here in the Premier League enjoying because it’s the best league in the world. Sharing with Europe is very tough but it’s the best for us coaches to enjoy and to have these problems when you are facing matches like today or Bayern for them, for us Lille. We have to play always being consistent, being very demanding to get our best performance."

Zaniolo - what do you think of him and his performances?

"I am very happy for him. At the beginning of the season it was very difficult and the impression was not easy but I told you and told him one or two months ago, something changed. He was focusing more and better, training more and better, focusing each match as well helping the team, playing 10 minutes, 20, 30, 45, 60, and today he showed it. We needed him, I told him before and today he showed us. From here until the end of the season, we will need these players available.”

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