Aston Villa supervisor Unai Emery expects his in-form facet to face a “very tough” problem away to Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Villa beat Premier League champions Manchester Metropolis on Saturday for a fourth win from 5 video games in all competitions.
However sixth-placed Villa will kick-off at St James’ Park in opposition to a Newcastle crew on a effective run of their very own.
The Magpies go into Thursday’s recreation following successive 4-0 league wins over Leicester and Ipswich, with Newcastle having additionally carried out the double over Villa final season.
“Very tough, as a result of I believe now they’re in good kind, and naturally they performed two years in the past within the Champions League,” stated Emery of Newcastle.
“Their goal is clearly to be in Europe,” added the Spaniard as he lauded Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe.
“He (Howe) was doing a implausible job with Bournemouth. All the time, his groups are roughly dynamic groups, depth, they prefer to play with the ball possession and being aggressive in assault, attacking with numerous gamers.
“They (Newcastle) beat us final 12 months two occasions, and naturally I respect them lots. It’s a very robust stadium for them, tough for the opponent.”
– ‘Motivating’ –
Villa have misplaced their final 4 away video games within the Premier League and Thursday’s match guarantees to be one other robust check.
“After I arrived right here, my ideas have been that it’s the most tough league,” stated Emery.
“Numerous groups have capability, with good gamers, good coaches and good historical past…The league is a really fascinating league, very motivating for us, every match how we will get factors and be higher. Now we’re sixth, we try to focus every match, be constant.
“We’re feeling higher at house, however away, it’s fully totally different.”
Howe, in the meantime, has challenged his eighth-placed facet — simply two factors behind Villa — to show the Premier League’s prime six is not any “closed store”.
Spending rules imply each golf equipment face recent challenges as they bid to safe locations amongst English soccer’s elite however Howe refuses to let these restrictions mood his ambitions.
“I by no means see something as a closed store,” he stated. “It is our job to try to obtain essentially the most that we will and put no boundaries on our ranges or our expectations of ourselves internally and see what occurs.”
Howe added: “We have now seen Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and a great deal of groups have actually robust seasons. The extent of the Premier League has been actually tight this 12 months between all groups.
“I do not assume there’s numerous distinction between the highest and backside sides and that is testomony to the standard of each crew within the league. There aren’t any simple video games and that makes an awesome spectacle.
“It makes an awesome league since you by no means know what is going on to occur. You by no means know what twists and turns are forward, so it is as much as all of us to try to break into no matter group of groups, attempt to upset individuals and obtain success.”
jdg/pi
