Unai Emery questioned whether Aston Villa fans had forgotten about the strong season the club is having after hearing boos during the defeat to Tottenham
Unai Emery claimed Aston Villa fans may have forgotten the club’s “fantastic season” in response to boos during and after their 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur.
Villa were second best across the pitch against Spurs, who scored twice in the opening 25 minutes through Conor Gallagher and Richarlison.
Emi Buendia netted a late consolation goal, but the scoreline flattered Villa after they failed to seriously trouble Tottenham until the 96th minute.
They registered just one touch in Tottenham’s penalty area during the first half, with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky not required to make a single save.
Boos were heard from Villa fans at half-time, and again at full-time from those who remained in the stadium.
Speaking after the match, Emery was asked by BBC Match of the Day whether the manner of Villa’s defeat to Spurs could have lasting consequences for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.
“It is a different match and a different competition as well. We are in the semi-final, and we are going to enjoy the match and we are going to enjoy the process.
“To play in a semi-final like we are playing is something really fantastic, in the Europa League. I didn’t play one match like that here.
“We are three years here at Aston Villa, and three years playing in Europe is fantastic, achieving quarter-finals, achieving semi-finals.
“We can forget, or the supporters, I don’t know. I am realistic. We are having a fantastic season and there are still matches to play. We have the same points as Liverpool, 58.”
Speaking about the game generally, Unai Emery said: “Today we faced a team that played fantastically, and they competed fantastically. They needed the points, and they fought to get it.
“In the first half, we didn't perform well. In the second half, we reacted, but it was not enough. In 35 games, things are very good, and we have the advantage to still be in the top five, but we must continue to be demanding.
“Maybe the points [for Champions League qualification] are not enough, and we must try to recover our form and do the things we were doing - there are still three matches to go.
"They [Tottenham] played fantastic, they pressed, they won duels, and we were not dominant in individual duels, and they beat us.”