Aston Villa boss Unai Emery gives honest thoughts on Man Utd and Ruben Amorim

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insisted Sunday’s opponents still had an aura of “greatness” despite their ongoing struggles.

Villa are bidding to seal a place on the final day and visit Old Trafford four days after United’s defeat to compounded one of their worst-ever seasons.

Emery’s side are level on points with and and one better off than as the race for a top-five finish goes down to the wire.

Despite United’s woes, Emery said: “Always, (I expect) the best of them. The best. The greatness of is still there. The great coach (Ruben Amorim) they have is still there.

“He did a fantastic job in Sporting Lisbon, fantastic and not for one year, not two years, not three years – consistently. When he arrived here, it was a difficult moment.

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“Only one of them in the (Europa League) final could achieve their objective and they (United) lost. But their greatness is still being there. The coach is a great coach and the players are very good players.

“We have played here with for three years and I didn’t beat them here (Old Trafford). My respect is a massive respect for Manchester United, their players and for the coach.”

Victory for Villa, coupled with dropped points for Newcastle (at home against ) and Chelsea (at Forest) would guarantee Emery’s side Champions League football for a second-successive season.

The former Sevilla, Paris St Germain and head coach added: “We have Europa Conference League, Europa League and Champions League. We will finish in Europe and that’s the first target we set at the beginning of the season.

“We’re ambitious and our ambition is how we are being demanding over the second half of the season and arriving in the key moment with the possibility to be there.

“It’s not in our hands, but we did a really great effort to be here now, focusing on the match on Sunday with chances to be there.

“We’re very excited and 100 per cent motivated. We’re working and being disciplined about everything we have to try to do on Sunday. We’re respecting the opponent.”

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