Aston Villa boss Unai Emery ‘very happy’ with draw at relegated Burnley

By Eleanor Crooks, Press Association Sport Correspondent

Unai Emery insisted he was “very happy” with a point at Burnley as Aston Villa’s Premier League wobble continued.

Villa celebrated reaching the Europa League final on Thursday but they still are not assured of a Champions League spot through the league after taking only one point from their last three games.

The Clarets are already relegated and without a manager but they produced a spirited display at Turf Moor, taking the lead through Jaidon Anthony and then securing a point with a goal from Zian Flemming after Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins had scored for Villa.

Emery launched a fierce defence of his side, saying of the performance: “I’m very, very happy, and with the result as well, very happy.

“It’s been difficult to be fifth in the league until game 36, very difficult. And it’s been very difficult to be in the top five for Liverpool, they are with us, with the same points.

“For Bournemouth behind us and Brighton, they are fighting teams and they are being fantastic. It’s fantastic to be where we are.

“Today the point is not enough, I know it’s not enough, but I know the difficulty to achieve three points here. But how we compete, how the players show with their wishes to win, I am so, so proud of them.

“And, of course, after on Thursday we achieved the final in the Europa League, how we are doing in both competitions. To play in Europe and to play in the Premier League in the top positions is very difficult.

“We are doing it and the players are doing a huge effort. Of course, the second part of the season we are struggling, we are not achieving the points like the first part of the season.”

Emery only made three changes from the team that beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 on Thursday, and he added: “Some of them are tired but they want to play, and they are ready. Today it was very important as well not to have injured players.”

The draw ended a run of five straight losses for Burnley, and interim boss Michael Jackson was pleased with his players after making six changes.

“I thought it was a good performance,” he said. “I thought it showed a lot of character and what we spoke about before the game and through the week in expressing yourself and, to make it really simple, have a go, go and show what you’re capable of.”

Burnley have not won at home in the league since October and there were a large number of empty seats at Turf Moor.

“I totally understand that,” Jackson said. “It costs money to come to football games and everything around it, the times that we live in.

“I’ve got no problem with that. The fans that were here were really good and got behind the team today. If more of them can come, then brilliant.”