Aston Villa

Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Aston Villa travel to Olympiakos in the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final on Thursday (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery said Villa have "some players close to coming back" but that he will wait until tomorrow to decide who is available to play.

• He said he did not want to reveal whether goalkeeper Emi Martinez will be ready to start and will speak with the doctor and player tomorrow to make the decision.

• If second choice goalkeeper Robin Olsen has to play, Emery said he has "all our respect", adding: "As a person he is very respectful. As a professional, he is an amazing character with us. It is hard to compete with the best goalkeeper in the world, but always he is ready, always he is positive and respectful with his situation."

• On whether he can use his previous experiences of coming from two goals down in European games: "Experience can always help you, being successful or not successful. We have to create and build a new way and we lost the first leg. Tomorrow will be difficult to come back but we must play thinking and understanding that after the first 90 minutes the game plan didn't work well and I'm expecting we will do better."

• On the importance of keeping their emotions in check: "Before the match, we are trying to analyse and respect the opponent and get our objective to not make mistakes. We made more than normal in the first leg... [It is] difficult for players to keep [their] emotions. They were excited and it changed in a minute. It is an important experience we have had and tomorrow we have to keep the balance."

• He said it has been "tough, difficult, but amazing" to be in their positions in the Premier League and Europa Conference League: "I told the players I want to enjoy more - today, tomorrow. I want to be motivated with how we can react tomorrow. I appreciate and I'm proud of what we did this year. Even if we [haven't] always [been] successful, the response has been fantastic."

Listen to full commentary of Olympiakos v Aston Villa on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST on Thursday

Image source, PA Media

Douglas Luiz says he is "mentally strong" to take a penalty if required on Thursday evening as Aston Villa face Olympiakos in the second leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final.

The Brazil midfielder missed an 84th-minute spotkick against the Greek side during their 4-2 defeat in the first leg at Villa Park and is keen to make amends in the rematch at the Karaiskakis Stadium (kick-off 20:00 BST).

"I am the main taker and I know it is my responsibility," he said. "The one who takes is the only one who can miss.

"If we have another penalty, I will take it. I am mentally strong for that."

Villa have only picked up one point from their past two Premier League games and face a daunting task to overturn their two-goal deficit.

However Luiz, who has played a central role in an outstanding season for Unai Emery’s side, was resolute in his faith they could triumph in Piraeus.

"We are confident and believe we can win this game," said Luiz. "This is a huge game for Aston Villa as a club.

"This season has been great for us and we have played really good football. I am really grateful for everything Villa has done for me and I want to try my best to bring them to the final."

Full commentary of Olympiakos v Aston Villa on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST on Thursday on BBC Sounds

Opta gives Aston Villa a 95.7% chance of snatching the final Champions League place and you cannot help thinking that a certain amount of complacency is mixed with the fatigue of a long season for an injury-riddled Villa team.

Normally, in a competitive Premier League season in the upper echelons, fourth place gets at least 70 points. The past two seasons, both Newcastle and Spurs earned 71 points to finish fourth. In 2016-17, Arsenal finished fifth on 75 points, while a year later, Chelsea finished fifth with 70 points.

This season though, not many teams seem to want fourth. Manchester United faded as soon as spring started, while Spurs have lost their past four games.

All Villa had to do to secure fourth spot was beat a severely depleted Brighton team, who had not won for six games. However, they only registered two shots in the whole game, their fewest since 2016, on their way to a 1-0 defeat.

With their objective of fourth all but done, are they losing the adrenaline needed to compensate for tired limbs and minds?

They will certainly hope a returning Emi Martinez will fire them up on Thursday night, as they attempt a Houdini act to get into the Europa Conference League final.

Plus, they may need his help to get results in their remaining two league games to ensure they stride into the Champions League, rather than limp over the line.

David Michael can be found at My Old Man Said, external

We asked for your views on Sunday's match between Brighton and Aston Villa

Here are some of your answers:

Brighton fans

Jane: Much better than last week. Played faster and more positively. It is still a struggle to shoot [but] at last, a goal and a win!

Harry: Roberto de Zerbi may have a back-up game plan at last. We just need to build on this now and try to secure a top-half finish.

Bob: What a difference! We played with a lot of spirit and hopefully rekindled the art of winning. Villa looked tired after their midweek match and we certainly know that feeling after our exploits in Europe. Looking forward to our trip to the Magpies and hope the Seagulls will nick their chips.

Ed: A relief after a very lean patch, but we deserved the win, particularly with the offside knee decision. Too much negative speculation by some recently after a great first half of the season. We have an excellent squad, manager and amazing ownership. That hasn’t changed. We move forward.

Aston Villa fans

David: With a tired and threadbare midfield we're struggling, especially when teams overload the middle. Unai [Emery] needs to take a chance on [Tim] Iroegbunam. We're limping over the line but the players will regret anything they don't give over the next 14 days.

Steve: A very jaded performance. We looked second best to a team that we had loved playing over the last few seasons. Can't wait to have a squad able to cope with Europe and the Premier League. Thanks to Liverpool the European dream still shines, bur this was a day of low energy.

Ian: Very poor performance for a team competing for a Champions League place. The number of shots and corners could be counted on one hand. Need a bigger squad as players look jaded and sloppy on the ball.

Don: We are absolutely exhausted. I don't think we will get another point this season but thank you Unai for the best season in heaven knows how long.

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Lisa asked: Do you think Aston Villa are running out of steam and will they still qualify for next season's Champions League?

Phil answered: Yes. And Yes.

There is no doubt Villa's players are feeling the strain of a long and demanding season as well as coping with a lot of injuries to key players - as we have seen latterly with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez - but I do think that seven-point cushion will be enough to keep a struggling Spurs side at bay.

I can't see them turning around a 4-2 deficit away to Olympiakos, although you never know, but I do see them clinching a top-four place and what an achievement that would be for Unai Emery and his players.

Image source, Reuters

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha and QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic reflected on Brighton's 1-0 win against Aston Villa on Sunday's episode of the BBC's Football Daily podcast.

Onuoha said: "Brighton were deserving winners of this game. A few people probably overlooked them because of how bad they've been in recent weeks, but they were playing at home and they're a determined side.

"I'm not somebody that says a team could be looking ahead to a different game, but this performance from Villa seemed like one of a team that played on the Thursday and know they've got another game coming up on Thursday as well.

"Given how good they've been throughout this season, to have two shots on goal throughout the game - that's not the Villa we know. It's hugely disappointing from the Villa standpoint, but for Brighton, this was needed."

Begovic added: "It's been a magnificent season [for Villa] and they've got a massive second leg [against Olympiakos in their Europa Conference League semi-final]. They'll feel they can go to Athens and turn this thing around. Maybe Sunday's defeat will be good motivation for them to bounce back."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Mark Chapman introduces highlights and analysis from Sunday's three Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer here.

And you can watch highlights of Friday and Saturday's games on Match of the Day here.

Listen back to Sunday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full:

• Brighton v Aston Villa

• Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur

Aston Villa are close to signing 28-year-old Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso. (AS - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery to BBC MOTD: "Now the most important is to rest. Rest today, rest tomorrow, after the match.

"We competed but it was not enough. We weren't strong enough in 90 minutes to deserve more than we achieved.

"We are doing an amazing season, brilliant, but of course we are at the last chance and we have to try and get everything. Now we want to do a good effort on Thursday [against Olympiakos] and on Monday against Liverpool. Now is time to rest."

"We had a lot of players injured and they are recovering. The most important is to get players back for balance and to be competitive."

On goalkeeper Robin Olsen's performance: "Fantastic. I was thinking he deserves to save the penalty and he did but the second action is bad luck and they scored.

"He played fantastic and he showed us he can replace Emi Martinez - the best goalkeeper in the world. That is not easy but he showed our capacity to do it."

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a tough week for Aston Villa after the loss to Olympiakos in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final before being put to the sword by Brighton.

A win for Unai Emery's side would have put them one Tottenham loss away from their Champions League spot being confirmed, but Spurs now have a slight chance to turn the heat up.

After the tremendous win away at Arsenal two weeks ago, Villa have let a two goal lead slip against Chelsea and have come away from the south coast with nothing.

Emery's men have played a game more than Spurs and things could become closer than the Spaniard would have liked as Villa look to secure their play in Europe's elite competition for the first time since 1983.

One last push needed for Villa to cap off this magnificent season.

• Joao Pedro’s goal was his 20th of the season, making him the first player to score 20+ goals in a single season for Brighton across all competitions since Glenn Murray in 2016-17 (23).

• Brighton have beaten Aston Villa at home in the Premier League for the very first time, and for the first time at home across all competitions since December 1980, ending an eight-match winless run at home against the Villans (D4 L4) since a 1-0 win at the Goldstone Ground under Alan Mullery.

• Aston Villa had just two shots against Brighton, their fewest in a Premier League match since May 2016 vs Newcastle United (also 2). Only against Manchester United in August 2005 (1) have they had fewer on record in the competition (from 2003-04).

• Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi picked up his fifth booking of the season, with no manager in the Premier League receiving more cards this season than him (Mikel Arteta also with 5). Overall, De Zerbi has now picked up 11 cards in the league during his time at Brighton, with the Italian also receiving the most cards last season in the Premier League (6 – 4 yellow, 2 red).

• Pedro has now scored 9 Premier League goals for Brighton this season, with only Glenn Murray (13 in 2018-19, 12 in 2017-18), Alexis Mac Allister (10 in 2022-23) and Neal Maupay (10 in 2019-20) scoring more for the Seagulls in a single Premier League season.

Joao Pedro struck a late winner as Brighton put a dent in Aston Villa's Champions League hopes at the Amex Stadium.

The Brazilian headed home a rebound in the 87th minute after his penalty was saved by Robin Olsen.

Pascal Gross had an earlier effort for the hosts ruled out for offside by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), while Villa captain John McGinn was also judged to be inches ahead of the Brighton defence before scoring at the other end.

Unai Emery's fourth-placed side remain seven points clear of Tottenham, who have two games in hand and visit Liverpool on Sunday.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Brighton fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Aston Villa fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

There are three Premier League matches today, and we will keep you updated on all the action.

Follow live text coverage over here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's matches, he takes on Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill.

Sutton's prediction: 1-3

Aston Villa have got fourth place and Champions League football in their grasp but they still have work to do to get over the line.

Unai Emery's side played the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final with Olympiakos on Thursday, so you think if Brighton could find a bit of energy, they might cause them some problems.

I don't see that happening, though. The Seagulls are missing their spark - for a long time now they not been the same team they were last season - and, as I've said before, the uncertainty over Roberto de Zerbi's future has hardly helped.

Nathan's prediction: 0-2

Read all of the predictions here

Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Brighton and Aston Villa in the Premier League.

• Brighton have lost their past five Premier League matches against Aston Villa by an aggregate score of 14-3. The Seagulls last suffered six defeats in a row against a side between 2019 and 2022 against Manchester United.

• Having won their past five against Brighton, Aston Villa are looking to register six consecutive Premier League wins against an opponent for the first time since between 2005 and 2010 against neighbours Birmingham City.

• Since Brighton began their maiden European campaign in this season's Europa League in September, they have won just seven of 29 Premier League matches (D11 L11). They would be 15th in a Premier League table in this time (since 21 September); they had started this season with four wins in their opening five league matches (L1) before their first Europa League match.

• Aston Villa have led by two or more goals in each of their past four Premier League games but have only gone on to win two of them - drawing 3-3 with Brentford and 2-2 with Chelsea last time out (2-0 v Arsenal and 3-1 v Bournemouth in the others).

• Having scored in a joint league-high 39 different Premier League games in 2023, Brighton have so far failed to find the net in more games than any other side in 2024 (eight).

• Ollie Watkins has scored six goals in his past four Premier League appearances against Brighton and scored a hat-trick in Villa's 6-1 win earlier this season. It is the most goals he has netted against an opponent in the competition.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brighton (14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery confirmed some players have "small injuries" from Thursday's Europa Conference League by Olympiakos, but until Saturday it is "impossible to know" if they will be able to face Brighton. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez "could be available" for Sunday but he has to see if he is "comfortable and without risk".

• On the quick turnaround before Sunday's game: "Firstly we have to focus again on the Premier League quickly. After, we will analyse the game we played yesterday. We need to be quick to analyse with the players the match we will face on Sunday with data analysis, characteristics of the team, individual players. As well, we need to recover quick again and full energy for Sunday."

• Emery said his side must "adapt" to playing in Europe before "tough" Premier League matches: "We want to grow up in Europe, playing Europa League and Champions League. I like it. The players have to adapt to that situation playing more matches than normal and then try to take experiences and manage those competitions and try to be successful in both."

• On the importance of Sunday's match in Villa's pursuit of a top-four finish: "Our motivation of course is high because we are now fourth and it is a very important match to try to be closer to our first objective in the Premier League."

• Emery said of Brighton: "The respect for Roberto de Zerbi is high. He is an amazing coach, he was playing very good last year. This year they changed a lot some players and it is normal they need time again to get the same performances and be successful with their style. It is amazing how they play. I appreciate them a lot."

• When asked about the final weeks of the season, Emery said: "We are fighting with Tottenham for the Champions League. It is an amazing season if it finishes like that. We are growing up here as coaches, workers, players, supporters. We have to be demanding and trying to get stronger in everything. We have to create a strong mentality to keep for a long time."

Follow Friday's Premier League news conferences

Listen to commentary of Brighton v Aston Villa from 14:00 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague believes Aston Villa's Europa Conference League semi-final is "still alive" despite their 4-2 first-leg defeat by Olympiakos at Villa Park.

Villa dominated the game in terms of possession and shots, but find themselves needing to overturn a two-goal deficit when they travel to Greece on Thursday, 9 May.

"There is a parallel game where that penalty just before half-time is given to Aston Villa - I thought it was a penalty - and the penalty miss goes in and it is 4-4," Balague told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"There is not too much difference between the two teams. Olympiakos scored four goals from five shots on target - they did the things they needed to do very well, there is no doubt about it. That could happen in Greece for Aston Villa. I can see that they are not too far away.

"Unai Emery will have an easy time explaining this game. Olympiakos will not score four goals from five chances again. Villa are still alive, very much alive."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds