Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery in disagreement over ambitious Aston Villa 'target'

Unai Emery and Pep Guardiola have expressed differing perspectives on what Aston Villa's targets should be following the Villans' stunning 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday evening. It was a famous victory under the lights at Villa Park as Emery recorded his first win over Guardiola at the 14th time of asking – and exactly 15 years on from the pair's first meeting.

Villa leapfrogged the champions to move up to third place in the Premier League, just four points behind leaders Arsenal – who they host on Saturday – and a huge five clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Champions League football could well be on the horizon for the men in claret and blue if they carry on at this rate but Emery remains grounded.

"We are not contenders," the Villa boss rapidly responded when asked if his side could fight for the title. "There are seven teams more contenders than us. This is day 15. Day 16 is against Arsenal. We must focus. We are happy to be third, but to keep it will be very difficult. While we are there we will try to keep it.

"There are still a lot of matches to play. If we keep progressing during the season – playing matches and winning like we are doing – maybe we can get to be contenders but not now. I think we need more time. We can believe but we are not contenders because there are seven teams that at the beginning were contenders. Maybe it will change on day 30, maybe 32. Not yet.”

Guardiola, who gave immense credit to Villa for being by far "the better team" on Wednesday night, couldn't disagree more with Emery's cautious outlook on the title race. "Definitely," the former Barcelona man said when asked if the Villans would be in the fight.

"The way they are playing and when you are there and see the tempo, the speed, the bench. The organisation from Unai and the set pieces and the high pressing and the medium block; how incredible they defend the back and a good keeper... Absolutely," Guardiola continued.