Leon Bailey: Humble Aston Villa aren't feeling title race heat

Douglas Luiz’s 89th-minute penalty earned Unai Emery’s team a 3-2 victory which ensured they entered 2024 still within striking distance of the top flight leaders.

Villa, who let slip a 2-0 lead to lose at Manchester United on Boxing Day, were twice pegged back by the 10-man Clarets before snatching their first win in three matches and Bailey, who netted his sixth league goal of the season to open the scoring, believes it demonstrated their character.

“We never kept our heads down, we continued going because we needed to build on what we’ve been doing already,” he said. “This was the opportunity that we all knew that we couldn’t let up again. We gave it our all and in the end we got the three points.” Villa’s lofty position in the table has brought with it extra scrutiny but asked if there was now more pressure on each match, Bailey replied: “I wouldn’t say it’s pressure – not at all. We’re always focusing on one thing at a time. We aren’t trying to listen to the outside noise.

“We’re just going to focus on one game at a time. But we have to stay humble. That’s the most important thing. We have to keep our feet on the ground and never look too far ahead.”

Saturday’s match was Villa’s eighth in 28 days and Emery granted his players three days off before starting preparations for this weekend’s FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough.

Villa will play just two league fixtures in January and Bailey said: “We’ve been playing every three days and it’s really important that we can get some time off now to rest and recover and come back stronger in the new year.

“It’s going to be nice to get a few days off and relax with family and friends.”