Unai Emery stresses importance of Aston Villa’s win over Leicester
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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery knew his side had to beat Leicester if they wanted to keep their top-four challenge on course. Villa’s quest for a second successive year in the Champions League has been hamstrung by inconsistency this season, but they kicked off 2025 with an important three points.
Leon Bailey chose a good time to score his first goal of the season 14 minutes from time after Ross Barkley’s opener had been quickly cancelled out by Stephy Mavididi. Victory moved Unai Emery’s men to within four points of fourth-placed Chelsea as they now break for FA Cup action.
“We needed those three points after we drew at home with Brighton and we are challenging to be in the top 10, top eight,” he said. “The league is very difficult because a lot of teams are performing very well. To win today was fantastic. “How we achieved those points as well, in 90 minutes struggling. Leicester competed very well, in the first half we didn’t perform like we wanted.
“We didn’t create clear chances, so to get those three points is fantastic. We had to be patient and find a solution and we did it.”. There was a blow for Villa as John McGinn limped off with a hamstring injury and Emery does not know how long he will be out.
“It is his hamstring. He could be out for two, three, four, five weeks, I don’t know,” the Spaniard added. The table makes much more miserable reading for Leicester, who remain in the bottom three after a fifth successive defeat. Boss Ruud van Nistelrooy is happy with the progress his side is making, though knows they have to cut out the mistakes.
