Emery fears Aston Villa have blown Champions League top-eight chances

Aston Villa brag Unai Emery says his broadside whitethorn person squandered their chances of finishing successful the apical 8 of the Champions League pursuing their nonaccomplishment astatine Monaco.

Wilfried Singo headed location the game's lone goal connected Tuesday nighttime arsenic a below-par Villa were incapable to person their opportunities.

Finishing eighth oregon supra successful the league signifier of the contention ensures nonstop qualification for the knockout signifier and a triumph for Villa successful Monaco would person meant they had 1 ft successful the adjacent stage.

However, the nonaccomplishment means they volition apt request to bushed Celtic astatine Villa Park adjacent week to debar having to spell into a two-legged knockout signifier play-off.

"When we are playing games similar this, it's important to get 3 points due to the fact that I deliberation we mislaid the accidental to get successful the apical eight," Emery said.

"Today was the key."

Despite this loss, Aston Villa person been successful bully signifier lately, winning 7 of their past 12 games successful each competitions.

As good arsenic competing successful Europe, Villa are besides battling for a top-four decorativeness successful the Premier League and cardinal to their performances astatine location and overseas are strikers Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran.

Watkins has scored 10 goals successful each competitions truthful acold this word portion Duran has 12 but Emery has mostly opted to rotate the two, having been incapable to get them to play efficaciously arsenic a partnership.

Watkins started against Monaco with Duran joining him successful onslaught successful the 57th infinitesimal but neither were capable to truly endanger the hosts earlier afloat time.

"The past 20 minutes we played with 2 strikers and with 2 strikers we are not being organised with the positioning similar I want," Emery said.

"We person 2 bully strikers. Playing with 2 strikers is my challenge. Both are precise bully players but contiguous it didn't enactment well.

"I made a mistake erstwhile I decided to play with 2 strikers. Until that infinitesimal we were much oregon little controlling the game."