Aston Villa relishing the pressure says Jacob Ramsey
Jacob Ramsey claims Villa’s players are relishing the pressure of now being the team to catch in the race for the Europa League.
Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Fulham saw Villa climb up to fifth in the Premier League and while all of their rivals have matches in hand, it is Unai Emery’s men who have forced their way to the front of the pack after winning eight of their last 10 matches.
The challenge now is to stay there, starting with Sunday’s trip to Manchester United before a run in which includes games against all of the teams around them.
Ramsey said: “There is pressure there. But I think at the start of the season there was pressure to get away from the relegation zone.
“Everyone in the squad would rather play with this pressure. There’s always pressure but at the moment we are enjoying it.”
Ramsey explained how Emery had impressed on players the importance of keeping their feet on the ground as they look to take Villa back to Europe for the first time since 2010.
He said: “The message is: ‘Be humble’. I think after the Newcastle game, winning that the way we did, everyone came into the changing room not with ego, but on a high.
“The first thing he (Emery) said when he came in was we need to respect every team. There are big things to play for – the Europa League. But we need to stay humble and respect every team.
“It has been a long time since Villa have been in those competitions. The fans deserve it. They have been really great this season and hopefully we can get there.”
