Determined Moussa Diaby keeping the faith as Aston Villa target Champions League

The £43million record signing submitted his most impressive performance for several months in Thursday’s Europa Conference League win over Ajax, capping it off by scoring just his second goal since the turn of the year.

Diaby has found himself mostly on the bench in the Premier League having struggled to maintain the impressive form he initially showed after joining from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, with Villa boss Unai Emery recently admitting the 24-year-old knows he must do better.

Yet Diaby has vowed not to hide from the spotlight as he looks to help Villa maintain their challenge in both the Premier League and in Europe.

“Football is like this, sometimes you play, sometimes you don’t,” he said, when asked about the difficulty of recent months.

“My team-mates always play well, so I have to stay focused and be ready when the coach needs me. I have to be ready to play and put in a good performance for the team.

“I am always confident. I am not the guy who will stay on the ground. I always want to push and help the team.

“I am happy with the goal. I have been waiting for this for a long time. We have to continue in this way with the team and continue to work hard.”

Diaby’s showing against Ajax came on the same day he received a somewhat surprise recall to the France squad and the chance to force his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans for this summer’s European Championships should provide added motivation.

The Paris-born forward earned the most recent of his nine senior caps last March.

“This can give him a lot of hope and hope to do everything to be in the squad for May,” said France boss Deschamps.

“There are players who are regulars and others, depending on the circumstances. He has not lost his qualities, he is capable of being decisive. This is the opportunity for him to make the most of this selection.”

France play Germany and Chile in friendly matches during the international break but first for Diaby and Villa is Sunday’s trip to West Ham as they look to get their league campaign back on track, following last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Tottenham.

A strong week for English clubs in Europe has increased the chances of the Premier League receiving an extra place in next season’s Champions League, meaning Villa may have more breathing space in that race than previously expected.

Regardless of permutations, the match against the Hammers represents a chance for Emery and his team to deliver arguably their biggest statement yet in a campaign where they have been excellent at responding to setbacks.

Villa have followed each previous league defeat by winning the next match, though to do so without suspended skipper John McGinn and potentially Ollie Watkins, who is battling a knee injury, would be seriously impressive.

Despite a season of fluctuating fortunes, West Ham sit seventh in the table and have been beaten only three times on home turf.

They too head into the match with momentum, after thrashing Freiburg 5-0 on Thursday night.

“They are being consistent and successful in Europe,” said Emery. “In the league they are contenders to be in the top seven teams.

“Sunday is also very important for them and we are expecting a lot.

“It will be a big challenge for us to keep being consistent away, keep being focused on each competition, trying to get the best performances.

“Now the objective is to recover the players, try to prepare for the match and be competitive for the match on Sunday.

“Players have to be ready to play more than one match a week. This is the way. This is the process and the progress here. Playing today is hard to play on Sunday.”

Villa, inconsistent on the road in the season’s opening months, have lost just one of eight league games on the road, winning five.