‘No way’ - Unai Emery makes bullish Arsenal claim ahead of Aston Villa manager’s return

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has made it crystal clear that his team's immediate priority is the upcoming Conference League quarter-final first leg against Lille, not the forthcoming Premier League showdown with his former club Arsenal.

Despite the excitement surrounding Villa's first European quarter-final in over two decades and the significant Premier League encounter with Arsenal just around the corner, Emery's attention is firmly fixed on Lille's visit to Villa Park.

When questioned about whether the Arsenal match would influence his team selection for Thursday's game, Emery was resolute, stating: «No way.

»We are speaking about the match tomorrow in the Europa Conference League, we are not thinking about the match we are going to play. No way, it is not good for us or for me or everybody. I want to focus on the match tomorrow only."

The league fixture is set to be an important one for both sides. The Gunners sit top of the Premier League but have little room to drop points between now and the end of the season with title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City breathing down their necks. For Aston Villa, meanwhile, they fell behind Tottenham in their battle to qualify for the Champions League and have played a game more than Ange Postecoglou's side.

In a move that underscores the importance of the fixture, the French Football Federation has postponed Lille's domestic game to ensure they are fully prepared for the second leg against Villa.

Emery is aware of the challenge posed by a well-prepared Lille side, but remains focused on the experience and competitiveness his squad can gain from such matches.

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