Only way is up for wing-wizard Leon
LEON Bailey insists Villa should be looking up the Premier League table rather than over their shoulder and claims he wasn’t aware of Manchester United’s shock defeat to Fulham until reporters told him an hour after full-time at Villa Park.
Villa now have an eight-point cushion inside the top five after beating Nottingham Forest 4-2 on Saturday, Bailey contributing to two of the goals, while United were defeated 2-1 late on at Old Trafford. After assisting Ollie Watkins’ opener, Bailey then scored his eighth league goal of the season to kill the game off after Forest had reduced Villa’s advantage either side of half-time.
“I am trying to make this one of the best seasons of my career,” said Bailey, after Villa’s first home league win of 2024. “You always want to get better and that is the focus right now, as well as trying to be there for the team, to help the team as much as possible, scoring goals and giving assists. Most importantly, we want to reach our target for the end of the season. We want to be in the Champions League and that is a goal for me as well.
“We just have to take it step by step and we will achieve it if we are consistent. I believe in this team a lot. We just have to keep pushing, keep being the way we have, being humble and continuing to work hard. That is the most important thing.
“We went through a little phase but it is the Premier League and it is difficult. Sometimes you face these challenges and it is about how you overcome them and how fast you overcome them. The last two games for us have been really good and should give us a lot of confidence for the games coming up.
“We are past it now (Villa’s dip in form) and I don’t want to dwell on it. Hopefully we don’t get back in that situation and we continue to be consistent and perform.
“Now is the crucial moment and the time when you really have to be at your best. You have to try and not give up any easy points. We have it in the back of our heads because the teams
are right behind us and there are teams we can catch as well. We have to take it one step at a time and always keep in mind it is the crucial time now.
“There is no point of always looking back (in the table). Sometimes you have to, but for us it is focusing on ourselves to see where we can really reach in the next three or four games from now. That is the focus.”
Bailey signed a new contract earlier this month following his excellent start to the season and the winger explained he committed his future to the club because of their potential to compete at the top table of European football once again.
“It is an amazing club. We have a good coach and the team has been doing great,’’ he said. “I feel good and decided to sign a long-term deal because I believe in this club and what our goals are for the next few years.
“I just want to be here to be a part of it and hopefully bring Aston Villa back to where we know it can be.”
Fellow goalscorer Douglas Luiz, who bagged a brace against Forest, was also pleased Villa could take advantage of United’s slip-up.
“We’re really happy,” he said. “It’s a big result for us, it’s great. The team could control the game after scoring the four goals and you need to keep going. Manchester United lost, which was good for us too. We need to keep going.
“I scored two goals so I’m really happy. I was feeling this before the game. I said to my girlfriend, ‘Today, I score, 100%’ and I come to the pitch and score twice. I’m really happy for the performance of the team.”