EMERY HAS EUROPE IN HIS SIGHTS

UNAI EMERY did not give much away, he simply clenched a fist and shook it towards the Aston Villa fans as he strode towards the tunnel — but the master of the Europa League has the competition in his sights once again.

Emery has transformed the mood since his arrival at Villa Park and, after two defeats, lifted them back on track by outplaying Tottenham for long spells and surviving a late scare to extend their home league record to six wins in a row.

Goals by Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz were enough to ease them level on points with their visitors. Harry Kane reduced the deficit with a disputed late penalty and Spurs scrambled after a late equaliser, but these feel like two clubs on different trajectories.

One with a steely glint in eyes fixed on Europa League qualification. The other drifting both on and off the pitch, and still without a manager.

‘It was not the objective to go for Europe,’ said Emery, when asked if he considered it a realistic target when he replaced Steven Gerrard in October. ‘I told the players we have to try but if we don’t get there it is not a failure.’

Villa went ahead early and dominated the first half after Ramsey’s goal, a fluent move sparked with a neat touch by Ollie Watkins as he evaded a rash challenge by Cristian Romero. Ramsey picked the ball up, moved it wide to Leon Bailey on the right and continued his run. Bailey made a yard and cut a cross low into the penalty box, and Ramsey arrived to convert first time.

Villa scored the second, a delicious free-kick teased over the defensive wall and beyond Fraser Forster’s despairing dive by Luiz after another clumsy foul by Romero on Watkins.

Tottenham did rally late. Emiliano Martinez dashed from his line and tripped Kane. VAR intervened because replays showed the goalkeeper had made no contact on the ball.

Kane converted but Villa hung on and moved in on the Europa League, a competition Emery has won four times.