Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Today we faced a team that played fantastically and they competed fantastically. They needed the points, and they fought to get it.
"In the first half we didn't perform well. In the second half, we reacted, but it was not enough. In 35 games, things are very good, and we have the advantage to still be in the top five, but we must continue to be demanding.
"Maybe the points [for Champions League qualification] are not enough, and we must try to recover our form and do the things we were doing – there are still three matches to go. They [Tottenham] played fantastic, they pressed, they won duels, and we were not dominant in individual duels, and they beat us."
On making seven changes: “Last week we lost against Fulham and which players played against Fulham? We played against Nottingham Forest and we lost. Today we lost with different players.”
On Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg: “It’s a different match, a different competition. We’re in the semi-finals and, of course, we are going to enjoy the match and enjoy the process. To play in the semi-final of the Europa League is fantastic. I don’t play one match like this in three years here.
"The supporters forget we are having a fantastic season, and we are on the same points as Liverpool on 58."
Did you know?
- Aston Villa have lost four of their last eight home Premier League matches (W3 D1), only one fewer than they did across their previous 55 at Villa Park combined (W38 D12 L5).
- Across 138 halves of Premier League football at Villa Park under Unai Emery, the first half of this game was Aston Villa's fewest touches in the opposition box (1) and one of only two times they failed to have a single shot.
