“United and Chelsea are still more contenders than us to be in the top five and top seven.

“We are wanting and trying to get our opportunity to be there, but we are not contenders.

“We have to fight each match to do our best. Be ambitious, try to improve, try to learn, try to build a strong team and a strong structure. But we are focusing on 38 matches. Now we are fifth, yes that is very good. But we are not really feeling that we are contenders to be in the top seven."

“We can dream.

“We can try to go match by match thinking how to improve, thinking to be fifth and thinking that if we can get one step ahead in the table to try to achieve this opportunity.

“We are doing it our way and working every day to try to get our dreams.

“I am trying to be consistent in my plan, trying to be better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.

“This message is always in my mind and I am repeating it a lot to the players. Then, it is to try and practice and try to analyse each match deeply.

“We have to try and be consistent and work out why we are not being consistent away, why we are not winning or not close to winning the match we played in Europe. We have to respect the opponent and we have to try to stop their game plan.

“We have to accept that we can’t win every match and that we can lose some matches, but of course we have to win more matches than we lose. We have to move on. We analysed the match against AZ Alkmaar at the beginning and we finished this morning speaking about it.

“We are going to add a new two matches against Legia Warsaw and Zrinjski, but now it is Fulham. I am going to analyse Fulham with the players, but my analysis is two deductions. One is to analyse ourself, how we can face the match on Sunday, and then try to analyse the opponent, how we can impose our idea with their game plan.

“I want to enjoy each moment, I want to enjoy each match, I want to enjoy Europe, I want to enjoy on Sunday in the Premier League, I want to enjoy when we play in the FA Cup.

“I know the supporters are behind us and, of course, they are demanding well.

“We have to try and connect with them and with a good result it is easier, but also when we are not taking a good result, we have to be together and try to connect with our supporters.

“It’s something very positive and I like positive energy from every supporter and worker here, players and coaches. I am not feeling to play under pressure, I want to feel that we are playing really focusing on our game plan.

“We are trying to do our best with our qualities and creating a strong structure at home, but also a strong atmosphere with our supporters. On Sunday we will connect with them and do our best, but being intelligent in our game plan.

“Fulham, I respect them a lot. The history of Fulham and the players of Fulham, the coach is a very experienced coach, very organised team, very competitive team. They are playing well, they lost against Manchester United at home, but they deserved more. They drew to Arsenal at the Emirates and everything they were doing and we have analysed, we must be alert and to respect them a lot because on Sunday it will be a difficult match."

Unai Emery, pre-match.


“We are feeling very good here. We are connected without the supporters that we are trying to be. With full energy, positive energy, and playing each game plan. Each circumstance we are trying to adapt, improving the players, improving our tactical work.

"The first half was very good. We created chances, but overall we controlled the game, avoiding the transition, avoiding their attack and it was fantastic. But the second half was harder than the first half because they scored one goal and they had chances.

"Each match is giving us a lot of information. For example on Thursday when we were losing in the second half and started losing against AZ Alkmaar, we came back. The result was fantastic because we had experiences to add in our squad, in our players.

"And the idea keeping the same structure and the same mentality after we conceded one goal. And today was the same. After the goal, we were 3-1 winning but we reacted very well, trying again to keep control of the game. And we did it.

"That is a mentality - when we are, when we aren't or in trouble, always try to keep balance, always try to control our minds and be focused in our game plan and that is the process.

“I am happy and I can take my days off as well relaxing with the result we had and with the moment we are now in the table and in the Conference League as well. Each match is a new challenge and I am going to rest and take some days resting, but of course, my mind is in Tottenham and my mind is with Legia Warsaw at home. My mind is in here again against Manchester City and Arsenal.

“I don’t think about a lot what is coming. Really, I want to enjoy each moment and I want to analyse the match today. I want to share with the players the analysis deeply we are doing.

"Then, try to take again full energy to prepare the match against Tottenham. We are playing here at home again against Legia, Man City and Arsenal, they are going to amazing matches and big challenges for everybody. We are going to be very excited, but life is passing very fast and it is very important to enjoy each moment.

"There are seven teams still being contenders to be in the top seven. We are now in the day 12 and there are still 26 matches to play. Of course, to be consistent is the most important when you’re trying to build a team and a strong structure and a mentality.

"We can maintain the position we are in now, but I think it will be very difficult and I think each match will be a challenge. We are going to face each match trying to focus. We are in the top five and I think this is the moment to enjoy and to be happy. We are going to analyse deeply, even now winning, how we can improve and how we can keep being consistent.

“[John McGinn] is himself very demanding. He is competitive and is always ready to play, physically as well. When he is not training and not playing he is resting, but his energy is always full! He is a very good example. He is consistent and is trying to help and to be with us being a good example for other players.

"I appreciate as a person how he is and as a professional he is fantastic. His connection here, his commitment here for a long time for the supporters, Aston Villa and the project, he was coming here in the Championship. He is a player who I really appreciate and I really need to be an example for others."

Unai Emery, post match.