Unai Emery describes feeling following six-goal thriller with Liverpool
Unai Emery claimed to be more exhausted than his players after Villa’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
Substitute Jhon Duran scored two late goals as Villa fought back to claim a point which inched them closer to Champions League qualification.
Emery’s men will be guaranteed fourth spot in the Premier League if Tottenham fail to beat title-chasing Manchester City on Tuesday night - though Emery later claimed he would not be watching that match.
Asked to sum up his emotions, after a pulsating 90 minutes against the Reds, he replied: “Exhausted, exhausted more than the players.
“We celebrated the season with the supporters and we are very proud of how we finished, not winning, but we had desires to get the fourth position. There is still one match to play.”
Villa’s evening began in the worst possible fashion when Emi Martinez fumbled the ball into his own net after just 65 seconds but hit back when Youri Tielemans, back in the team after returning to fitness, fired them level.
Cody Gakpo restored the visitors’ lead which Jarell Quansah then extended after Diego Carlos had somehow contrived not to score from just a yard out.
Ollie Watkins saw a goal chalked off for a marginal offside call as Villa’s frustrations grew but the introduction of Duran, after fellow substitute Nicolo Zaniolo picked up an injury, proved pivotal.
The Colombian international fired home from outside the box to cut the deficit and then profited from fortune when Moussa Diaby’s pass hit his knee and looped in.
Emery praised his team’s never-say-die spirit and said: “Today is a summary like a season. We started by losing 5-1 in Newcastle, but the team always reacted and was consistent and even when we had troubles in the season we always came back.
“Today was the same, that was fantastic, like it has been the season. Inch by inch we are getting there.”
Duran, 20, has now scored six goals in his first full Premier League season.
Emery said: “His potential is impossible to predict how far he is going to get. I believe in him.
“It is different football in Colombia, tactically the football is very different in the Premier League.
“We’re working with him a lot. I know he’s going to score and get chances and use his power. His potential is clear but we need to manage him as a young person.”
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