Unai Emery eager for Aston Villa to 'refocus' ahead of Tottenham clash

Unai Emery has urged Aston Villa to move on immediately from their Europa League semi-final defeat when they host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Villa can secure a top five finish and qualify for the UEFA Champions League by beating Spurs - as long as Brighton and AFC Bournemouth fail to win on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest take a slender 1-0 lead into the second leg at Villa Park, after Chris Wood scored the only goal from the spot in the first leg at the City Ground on Thursday evening.

Emery hit out at the VAR officials after Elliot Anderson avoided punishment for a studs-up challenge on Villa striker Ollie Watkins.

But the Spaniard is eager to put the defeat in the past - and switch focus straight back to the Premier League.

“Everything that happened [on Thursday] is done, but it’s the first part of two legs we’re going to play,” Villa boss Emery said.

“We’re analysing it but we’re going to take a break before analysing the second leg at home next week, which is very important, but now we need to focus on the league.

“Everything that happened about the decision of the referees and the VAR issues I spoke about in the press conference, is done.”

Villa start the weekend eight points above Brighton in sixth and nine ahead of seventh-placed Bournemouth - while only three separate them from Manchester United in third.

Brighton travel to Newcastle United for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday and Bournemouth host Crystal Palace at 2pm on Sunday.

Both teams will need to win in order to keep pace with Villa and failure to do so will present Emery’s charges with the opportunity to guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League.

Villa need to settle their end of the bargain

But Emery is not interested in focusing on results elsewhere and is determined for Villa to settle their end of the bargain.

“On Thursday, the priority was Forest in the Europa League. Now it’s a different competition and the priority is the Premier League and being consistent and demanding through it to achieve our huge challenge to be in the Champions League again,” he continued.

“When we won two weeks ago in the last minute against Sunderland, I was positive.

“Last week when we lost against Fulham, I was not so positive about everything we’re doing and the points we need to get fifth, fourth or third in the league.

“There are some teams behind us performing well, like Brighton for example or Chelsea, with their capacity to win a lot of matches at the end of the season.

“We must focus on our own matches and trying to get points. The first one is on Sunday against Tottenham.

“I am positive and delighted with how we are arriving in the moment we’re in now, playing in the semi-final with a second leg to play and in the position we are in the league.”