Unai Emery claims Aston Villa are BETTER than they have ever been during his reign – as he insists his side can challenge on all three fronts

Unai Emery believes Aston Villa are in ideal shape to challenge for glory on three fronts.

Villa’s clash at Brighton on Wednesday could prove hugely important in the race for Champions League football next season – while Emery’s men have already reached the quarter-finals this term as well as the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

After signing loan trio Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi in January, along with the permanent deals for Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia, Emery feels Villa are stronger than they have been at any stage of his reign.

‘Last year we were in the Europa Conference League and we got to the semi-final,’ Emery recalled. ‘But against Olympiacos we were not really 100 per cent, with the players, with the energy and even physically or mentally.

‘We finished fourth in the Premier League to qualify for the Champions League but we were struggling in the last two months. This year I want something different.

‘We need to be focused 100 per cent, with full energy, physically good and with the players able to play several matches in a row. Now we have maybe 20 players ready to play in different competitions.

Villa made five signings in the January window, including Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford

Emery’s side are still in the FA Cup and Champions League and are ninth in the Premier League

‘If someone is tired after 60 or 70 minutes, we have players on the bench who can come on and make a good impact. Sometimes in the first part of the season we didn’t have that.’

Emery is set to make changes to the team that started Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Preston, which Villa won 3-0 with Rashford scoring his first goals for the club since his move from Manchester United. 

Both John McGinn and Ollie Watkins are expected to return to the starting XI.