Aston Villa backed for Europa Conference League glory with Unai Emery ‘champing at the bit’

Former Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke has applauded the job Unai Emery is continuing to do at his old club and deems them a Conference League favourite

According to Dwight Yorke, Aston Villa is among the strong favorites to win the Europa Conference League at the end of the current campaign.

Villa needs a point against Bosnian team Zrinjski in their last group game this week to guarantee first place and go to the next round of the competition, which will see clubs that were eliminated from the Europa League compete.

The Lions opened the tournament with a loss in Warsaw, but under European silverware expert Unai Emery, they have since won four straight games, including a home and away double over AZ Alkmaar, and are well on their way to the next round of the Conference League.

Yorke, a former striker for Villa, believes that Villa will go far in the competition to add to their stellar Premier League play in the New Year and that they will be among the favorites to win the cup in May.

Yorke stated to AceOdds: “I would think that’s one of the main trophies that they will try to win as well as well as try to finish in that top four, but if you were to ask me the way Villa is looking at this point, they will be one of the favorites to try and go on to win that competition for sure.”

Villa has won 15 straight games at home in the Premier League under Emery’s leadership. This past week, they defeated both Manchester City and Arsenal at home, guaranteeing their place in the Champions League before the Christmas break.

After overcoming his disappointment at Arsenal, Yorke thinks the work he has already done is commendable.

“He had a tough time, I think he was well documented when he came here at Arsenal, and that didn’t materialise, but he’s gone back, he’s rolled his sleeves up, and did what he did at Seville for a number of years,” Yorke said. “Given his track record of winning the Europa League and all of his accomplishments there, he deserves another chance.

“When you have an ambitious manager with a good setup and a good team, now that’s the kind of manager who’s champing at the bit, and wants to prove himself at this level. It certainly didn’t work out the first time around for him.

“So the second time around, he wants to show everyone what he’s capable of doing, and that’s what he has been able to show to this point. So it’d be interesting to see if they are finishing in that top four. I think if it is done, then that’s a remarkable job, but the fact that Villa is anywhere near the top at the moment, he deserves a lot of credit for what he’s done with the football team.”

Would you rather see Aston Villa win the Conference League or finish in the top four?

Get more related news on dailysportnews.co.uk