Aston Villa

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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to Amazon Prime: "I am very proud of everything. Getting to this level is the next step forward, I want to try to win with Aston Villa.

"We played two legs, we competed well and it wasn't even. Today we competed better and we were close to the result. I want to try to work for my next process at Aston Villa.

"The crowd was fantastic, they gave us energy, even at 2-0. Still, a little bit more to do better to try to get it.

"Every player at this level has a huge level to play and to try and be a protagonist. We were a protagonist as well with our skills. We were focused on our game plan.

"I was thinking only to play our game plan and be consistent. We were attacking and those transitions, they were clinical. We knew it. We tried to avoid transition and today we took the new game plan and were pushing more.

"It is now most important to get Europe again. The most important competition is the Champions League. The challenge we have for the last six matches is to try and get Europe and the Champions League.

On Marcus Rashford's future: "It is difficult to plan it now. He is feeling better and he played a fantastic match. We are very happy.

"If he is happy, we are happy. It depends on the circumstances for now and the next weeks."

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Everything that was good from Aston Villa against Paris Saint-Germain came through forward Marcus Rashford, says former defender Stephen Warnock.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: "I don't know what Unai Emery saw, with the way Marcus Rashford was playing, he got it ;the substitution] wrong. Rashford was brilliant.

"Rashford was involved in everything and everything which was good was coming from him.

"It felt like the tempo dropped when he made that substitution. You need a goal - why are you taking a striker off?

"If you want to pin PSG back, you play Rashford and Watkins in between the full-back and centre-halves and you stretch those balls over the top.

Ex-Villa striker Dion Dublin also felt having both forwards on the pitch at the same might have been what the team needed.

"Marcus Rashford didn't score, but the energy levels that he had. He was making those defenders make mistakes," Dublin added.

"We have seen an inkling in what they can do and how sharp they can be. However, I believe there was a bit more that Villa could have done if they had gone with two up-top."

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Aston Villa captain John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports: "Obvious disappointment but I am proud of my team-mates, proud of the club.

"We have come a long way. We were so, so close tonight. We just fell a little bit short.

"We had chances to take the game to extra-time but we've got to be proud about the way we came back against one of the best teams in the world, to fight to the end.

"We want more. We want to be back here next season and we will try our best to do that."

On Unai Emery's half-time talk: "He said 'I'm proud of the performance, keep going, you just never know'. We never gave up. It was chaos, but we gave absolutely everything and I think every Aston Villa supporter will leave with a huge sense of pride."

On Paris Saint-Germain: "I've never played against Real Madrid or Barcelona, but in my career they're the best team I have faced. I'm getting old and I certainly wouldn't like to play against them every week."

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Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa, speaking to Amazon Prime: "Very proud of the boys and what we did tonight.

"The two goals at the start killed us but we showed great belief and character to get back into it. We won the second leg but it wasn't enough.

"At half-time we felt we had nothing to lose. We wanted to go out there and prove a point. We had chances, I think I scored the hardest one. I don't think we could have done any more. I missed the ball [for a header], it happens.

"He [Gianluigi Donnarumma] made some excellent saves. We showed tonight we can compete at the highest level and we want to do it again next season."

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Aston Villa have extended their unbeaten run at Villa Park to 18 games across all competitions (W12 D6) - their longest run without defeat on home soil since a run of 20 games between April 1990 and February 1991.

Meanwhile, since making his Aston Villa debut in February, no Premier League player has provided more assists across all competitions than Marcus Rashford (five).

Were you at Villa Park or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

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Aston Villa are involved in Champions League quarter-final action on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Aston Villa v Paris St-Germain (agg 1-3)

• Borussia Dortmund v Barcelona (agg 0-4)

All kick-off times 20:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger tells The Football News Show that the first goal in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris St-Germain is crucial for Unai Emery's side.

Villa trail 3-1 in the tie after a first-leg loss in France last week.

Watch The Football News Show on iPlayer

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Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers said the club's fans have a vital role to play in generating an atmosphere to inspire the club to the semi-finals of Europe's elite competition for the first time in over four decades.

When asked how important the home support at Villa Park will be for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris St-Germain, Rogers said: "Massive. Two-legged ties, that's the whole purpose of it.

"You get your advantage at home, especially in the position we're in, the second leg being at home. I think that's massive for us.

"We can create a real atmosphere, we've done it this season in the big games, not just Champions League but in the big league games as well."

Manager Unai Emery added: "If we are connecting with our supporters, if we are transmitting positive energy, if we are playing more or less getting tactically and individually good things on the field, the supporters, they are going to help us a lot with their energy.

"They are going to transmit to us their energy, and always for our players playing at home, with the energy they can receive from our supporters, it's something adding positively. We need to use now Villa Park like our home and like our fortress."

David Michael
Fan writer

Outside of the Champions League games themselves this season, this weekend at Villa Park could be one of the most significant matches of the campaign for Unai Emery's team.

Aston Villa versus Newcastle isn't just about Champions League qualification. It's a head-to-head between the two clubs best placed to break English football's established order.

Both sides go into it on the back of four straight league wins. Newcastle arrive with a League Cup in the cabinet and a fresh shot of confidence. Villa, meanwhile, have reset and are still fighting on two other fronts - chasing European glory while also looking ahead to an FA Cup semi-final, even if their Champions League midweek challenge is a mountain to climb.

The night after Villa entertain PSG, Newcastle host Crystal Palace at St James' Park. If Eddie Howe's side win that, they'll go five points clear of Villa - and if they take anything from Villa Park, they'll surely become favourites to secure a Champions League spot.

With the top five now confirmed as qualifying for next season's Champions League, a Villa win would put them in an excellent position. Chelsea and Nottingham Forest would suddenly look vulnerable in the run-in, and Villa would have a great chance, even if both Newcastle and Manchester City finish strongly.

Beyond the here and now, both Villa and Newcastle are financially edging closer to the velvet rope of the Premier League's traditional big six. Neither can afford to lose the momentum built by their recent Champions League campaigns and risk sitting out Europe's top competition next season.

If they both make it, the bigger picture threat to the Premier League's status quo might start to look even more intriguing.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

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Aston Villa fan Nim Gill says there is belief that the team can overcome a two-goal deficit to beat Paris St-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Villa Park.

Gill told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's an astronomically massive night for the Villa. We're 3-1 down but with this team and the tactician Unai Emery and at Villa Park, we are certainly not out by a long shot.

"We believe. PSG are a huge side - the favourites - yet the fan base is very positive and we believe we are going to win.

"Unai will have a plan. It's intriguing to see how he sets this up because, with being 3-1 down, we are having to chase the game and it's not very often we have to do that."

Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds from 20:00 BST

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Paris St-Germain coach Luis Enrique has warned his side against complacency, believing Aston Villa can still overcome the French club and get through to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

PSG take a 3-1 lead into Tuesday's quarter-final second leg at Villa Park, but Enrique said: "The tie isn't over, it is still open. It is going to be difficult. We are prepared to suffer if necessary to get our aim and win this match.

"At the end of the match there will be only one team in the semi-final and the other team is out. That is the beauty of the competition.

"Aston Villa are down at the moment but the tie remains very open and both teams know. There is no overconfidence in our side, we have got motivation to overcome the problems Aston Villa can set us and reach our aim of winning the match."

After already knocking Liverpool out of the tournament and in control of the tie after their first-leg win, PSG go into the return leg against Villa as obvious favourites - but Enrique is not taking anything for granted.

He added: "When people talk about favourites before the match... the road of the Champions League is full of favourites who have been knocked out.

"We knew we were better and deserved to win in the first leg, but there is a second story. Who is going to win on Tuesday?

"We have the advantage, but we don't speculate about certainties. If Aston Villa are better than us they can overcome us, so we need to show we deserve to be in the semi-final."

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Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers says there is "massive belief" from team that they can turn their Champions League quarter-final tie around.

Unai Emery's side need to overturn a two-goal deficit at Villa Park on Tuesday night after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg.

It is set to be a tough task for Villa against the Ligue 1 leaders as they look to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since they won the 1981-82 European Cup.

"There's massive belief in the dressing room. I know most people wrote us off before this tie, but in the first leg we gave a good account of ourselves," said Rogers, who scored in the first leg.

"Of course, there are things that we needed to improve on but we know [PSG] now. There is a task on our hands.

"Under the lights at home in the quarter-finals of this competition, there's not many better places to be.

"If anyone is going to turn it around, it is going to be us. It's down to us and we are excited for that challenge.

"It's going to be difficult and I am not saying that we are going to do it, but we will definitely give it a shot and go out there to win."

While boss Emery has a lot of European competition pedigree under his belt, it is has been Villa's first foray into the top-tier cup competition on the continent since 1983, but that has not overawed the players.

"We have tremendous belief in the group, our manager and the coaching staff," Rogers added. "We are here for a reason. We have taken on any battle that has come our way this season and we have won the game that we needed to be where we are.

"You could think we don't deserve to be here but that's not how we look at it. We fully deserve to here and we need to keep pushing."

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris St-Germain (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Villa lost the first leg 3-1 in the French capital last week.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery said he needs to "have a look every player" in training and he does not "have in my mind a starting XI" for Tuesday's match. He added: "I have a plan overall of how we should be playing. We are preparing for each game with every player. They need to understand how we have to manage not only physically but also mentally."

• On how they approach the game after conceding late in the first leg: "Our expectation is to get a good result of the second leg. Of course the fact that they won 3-1 is changing something. But a lot? No. Why? Because we have to win. We had to win with 2-1 and with 3-1 now. But now, we have to win with one more goal."

• On the possibility of playing forwards Ollie Watkins and Marcus Rashford together: "The next step - if I have time - is to play them together. We did with Rashford playing on the left side but now we are choosing more with both playing as strikers. That's the next step. I want to practise, I want to test but not now, with enough time."

• Watkins showed he is "feeling fantastic" by coming off the bench to score against Southampton on Saturday and it shows the "variety we have with our players" as they look to use their "quality to help the team" no matter how long they are on the pitch.

• The Villa boss said their "objective is to play with one strong plan" against PSG and "if we are getting extra time, that's good and if we are getting a penalty shootout, that's fantastic as well".

• On the chances of overturning the two-goal deficit: "I have experiences of comebacks - both positive and negative. But now, it's something different. We want to write the history of Aston Villa - last year in the Conference League, this year in the Champions League and hopefully for years to come in Europe."

• On the role supporters can play in the match: "PSG have a lot of experience playing in away matches. They are playing in France and Europe and we have as well. But we will be connecting with our supporters and transmitting the energy. More or less, if we do tactically and individually good things on the field, the supporters are going to up our energy and help us a lot.

• Emery added: "They are going to transmit that energy always for our players."

Follow all of Monday's latest football news and reaction

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Southampton and Aston Villa, which Villa won 3-0.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton fans

Noel: Could have played all day and not scored. We have completely lost the ability to tackle, high press or attack at pace this season. Apart from Aaron Ramsdale and Mateus Fernandes, this whole squad need to go. Worst players I've ever seen in 60 years of support.

Steven: It was a decent performance until the double substitution involving Will Smallbone and Tyler Dibling. After that, game over. Still think if they had not been brought on we might have got something.

Colin: Tried hard but fell really short in the end. It's time to try some other players in defence to play alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Kyle Walker-Peters, in a 4-4-2 formation.

Aston Villa fans

Ian: Very solid and professional performance from the Villa once again highlighting the strength of our bench. Perhaps we should have scored more but overall job done. Some massive games coming up, but the team must be full of confidence. We should have a right go on Tuesday against PSG now, we have nothing to lose.

Cassie: A win against a team already relegated was predictable. Let's see if we can repeat it against PSG on Tuesday. Morgan Rogers was outstanding and is really starting to be noticed by bigger clubs, I can see him moving on in the summer unless Villa get Champions League football again. Ollie Watkins took his goal well and should be the penalty taker. Let's stay focused.

Dave: Brilliantly controlled game with any threat nullified by a well set-up defence and midfield. It took a while to break down a stubborn defence but once we broke through there was only one winner. Just imagine what our league position would be if we didn't spend the first half of the season with so many injuries!

Chris Wise
BBC Sport Final Score

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There is a reason Aston Villa are still active in three competitions in mid-April, and the proof was there in front of our eyes at Southampton.

Unai Emery's team were clearly dominant throughout, but they'd not been able to pick their way through Saints' defence for 70 minutes. And in years gone by, it may well have ended in a frustrating goalless draw for Villa.

But Emery is playing with a strong suit of cards. The introduction of Ollie Watkins and Donyell Malen from the bench made a giant difference. It wasn't just their brilliantly taken goals, but their energy and desire changed the dynamic of Villa's forward line. That's the beauty of this situation for Emery as he can now change like for like in attacking areas. That's not something that's always been available to him.

Perhaps it's no surprise then that it was Aston Villa who set a new Premier League record at the weekend. The first team to have three different substitutes score in a single game.

'By changing nothing, nothing changes', as the old expression goes. This could yet be a month where everything changes for Villa.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton

• Arsenal 1-1 Brentford

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Aston Villa have become the first team in Premier League history to have three different substitutes score in a game for them.

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Unai Emery spoke to Premier League Productions after Aston Villa's victory against Southampton: "We respect them [Southampton]. The first half we didn't concede transitions. We were dominating but we didn't have many chances to score. The second half the game plan was the same and with the fast players we can add to try and push more and more and we did. It was a fantastic 90 minutes. The subs had a very good impact."

On Villa's strength in depth: "We had some moments in this season without players that were injured and we didn't have consistent 90 minute performances because we didn't have the players. Of course we strengthen in January with four players and the consequence is it makes us more competitive.

On whether Villa's focus will switch to PSG: "From day one to day 38 the Premier League gives us our first target. For Europe you get in via your Premier League position. We try to focus on our gameplan and to play with our skills. Of course now we focus on the match against Paris St-Germain. We will try to recover the players today. I am enjoying the way we are doing in the Champions League."

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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Aston Villa spent the majority of the first 70 minutes of Saturday's game camped inside the Southampton half, but clear-cut opportunities were proving hard to come by until Ollie Watkins replaced Marcus Rashford midway through the second period.

The England international was brought down by Jan Bednarek inside the penalty area just two minutes after entering the fray, giving Marco Asensio a golden opportunity to give the visitors the lead.

Aaron Ramsdale was equal to the Paris St-Germain loanee's effort, but Watkins made amends shortly afterwards with a fantastic first-time finish from Youri Tielemans' pass, lifting him on to 15 goals this season in all competitions.

Donyell Malen continued his fine form with a thumping strike from Morgan Rogers' pass, before John McGinn stroked home from close range after Ramsdale had denied Asensio yet again from the penalty spot.

The former Real Madrid man becomes only the fourth player in Premier League history to miss two penalties in the same game, but manager Unai Emery and his players won't care one bit as they moved into the top five of the Premier League ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final return leg against PSG.