Spurs vs. Aston Villa: Unai Emery makes bold claim about Roberto De Zerbi's side ahead of Premier League showdown

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has claimed that helium expects Tottenham Hotspur to decorativeness wrong the apical 4 of the Premier League table.

Villa and Spurs square disconnected astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium connected Saturday afternoon, with some clubs inactive searching for their archetypal top-flight triumph of the season.

Despite being tipped to situation for the Champions League spots travel the extremity of the season, the 2 teams besides person conscionable 1 extremity betwixt them successful 8 games.

Nevertheless, speaking astatine a property league connected Friday, Emery has predicted that Spurs volition soon advancement up the standings.

Villa brag Emery makes Spurs prediction

Although Emery talked up the "potential" of his ain team, helium seemingly feels that Spurs are amended equipped to decorativeness successful the apical 4 travel the extremity of 2026-27.

The Spaniard told reporters: "Similar similar us, but their imaginable is huge. They signed a batch of precise bully players. But they request clip to get everything compact. And to execute knowing their idea.

"De Zerbi is simply a fantastic manager. He played fantastic shot present and performed fantastic present successful Brighton. He did a fantastic occupation earlier arsenic good successful Italy and Marseille. They are getting better. They vie fantastic, adjacent losing against Liverpool.

"Facing them is simply a hard match. Of course, being precise demanding defensively for us. Tottenham, I expect them to beryllium successful the apical four."

Is Emery telling Villa fans to little expectations?

If Emery is suggesting that helium is backing Spurs to decorativeness successful the apical 4 of the Premier League table, helium is efficaciously saying that determination is lone 1 spot up for grabs this season.

Arsenal and Manchester City are performing considerably amended than the remainder of the division, truthful Emery's comments would suggest that helium views Villa arsenic 1 of respective teams who could assertion the last top-four spot.

Emery took a akin attack successful the media past play and Villa yet finished successful the apical 5 and won the Europa League.

Behind the scenes, though, Emery volition expect Villa to repetition their achievements from erstwhile seasons astatine the precise least.