Sturridge reveals who are ‘in with a shout’ of top-four finish with Man Utd ‘not playing great football’
Daniel Sturridge has heaped praise on Unai Emery and said Aston Villa are “in with a shout” of finishing inside the top four of the Premier League.
The Villans are currently fifth in the Premier League with eight wins from their opening 12 games this season.
On a run of 13 straight home league wins, they are flying under Emery, who replaced Steven Gerrard as head coach last November.
Villa were in the bottom half when he took over and led them to qualification for the Europa Conference League, finishing seventh last term.
The sky is the limit with Emery at the helm and former Chelsea and England striker Sturridge says he is not surprised to see them thrive in 2023/24.
“I said before the season started that I thought Aston Villa were a really good team,” Sturridge said on Sky Sports. “I thought they’d surprise people, and they are showing this now.
“I’ve heard from a lot of players about how good a coach [Emery] is.
“He’s worked at some big football clubs. Make no mistake, there are a lot of owners out there who believe this guy can change the landscape of their football club.”
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Asked about contenders for the Champions League spots, Sturridge said Manchester United will be there despite the fact “they are not playing good football at the moment” and noted that Newcastle United and Villa will be “in with a shout”.
He added: “Manchester United are in there and are getting results.
“They are not playing great football at the moment, but I think they will be happy with where they are right now, considering how they have performed.
“They are in with a shout of the top four. There’s Newcastle who are sometimes good and sometimes bad.
“It’s going to be interesting, but it is still very early in the season.”
Nobody seems too sure on how teams will qualify for the Champions League this season with talk of a top five, instead of a top four.
As it stands, if Villa finish fifth – their current position – they will qualify for the Europa League, which they can also do by winning this season’s Conference League.
Emery – who is currently joint-last in the Premier League sack race – singled out captain John McGinn after Sunday’s win over Fulham.
“He is himself very demanding,” he said about the Scottish midfielder.
“He is competitive, he always is ready to play, physically as well. I think when he is not training or playing he is resting – his energy always is full.
“He is a very good example, of how he is consistent and trying to help and to be an example, a very good example for players.
“I really, really appreciate a lot as a person how he is, but as a professional, he is fantastic.
“His connection here, his commitment here for a long time, with the supporters, with Aston Villa, with the project that is here, and he came here when they were in the Championship…I think he’s one of the players I really appreciate and really need to be an example for others.”
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