Unai Emery tells Aston Villa to keep believing - and their dreams can come true

Villa head to Everton on Sunday knowing a win would again move them level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Emery’s men are also through to the last-16 of the Europa Conference League and head to Chelsea for an FA Cup fourth round tie later this month with the boss having made no secret of his desire to end a major trophy drought now in its 28th year.

Villa’s presence in the thick of the title race has surprised many, yet when asked yesterday if his squad could become one of the league’s best, Emery pointed out they are already proving themselves so.

He said: “They are showing it. We are here – second in the table. It’s not a dream. It’s real, everything we are doing. The players have to believe like I believe in every player and I am very demanding.

“I want to increase their level more and more and I think they can do it but they have to be ready to work even harder, for Sunday and for the following matches.”

Though Villa broke their club record by signing Moussa Diaby for £43million last summer and swooped for Spain international defender Pau Torres, their turnaround under Emery has largely been achieved by the same squad which struggled under his predecessor, Steven Gerrard.

The boss reckons players are now beginning to understand their full potential and explained: “Maybe some of them before were: ‘OK, I’m a professional footballer in the Premier League, sometimes I’m here in the middle of the table, sometimes towards the bottom, sometimes higher. They would feel a little bit relaxed.

“But in football you have to be demanding. If you want to be competitive and take another step higher, you have to work hard and improve your mentality. I am trying to support and help them and push them in that direction.”

Emery’s belief in the unit is among the reasons January is shaping up to be a quiet month on the transfer front. Villa must also be careful to comply with both the Premier League and Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations, though it is the boss’ reluctance to make signings who do not improve on what he already has which is chiefly driving strategy.

Incomings, for now, are dependent on departures, with Emery yesterday confirming Calum Chambers and Bertrand Traore will both be allowed to leave.

Villa have won on their last three visits to Goodison Park and are unbeaten in nine league matches against the Toffees.

“If we win on Sunday we can improve our position,” said Emery. “That is our objective and it must be what we demand. We have to feel like this is normal. Maybe in the process we get used to being here (near the top of the league) longer and longer. Being a contender to be a top seven team, being a contender to be in Europe consistently.

“Maybe now we can feel we are on another level than before. But of course to maintain that level is difficult.”