Unai Emery has called on everyone associated with Aston Villa to enjoy their recent achievements after the victory over Arsenal on Saturday night.
In just over the space of a year, Emery has transformed Villa from relegation candidates into Premier League title challengers, despite his reluctance to acknowledge the latter.
The West Midlands outfit now sit within two points of Arsenal in the standings after an early John McGinn goal proved enough to overcome the top-flight leaders at Villa Park.
Earlier in the week, Villa equalled a club record that had first been set more than a century ago as they posted their 14th successive league win at their home ground by beating Manchester City.
Villa's success over the Gunners has led to that previous feat being eclipsed, further extending a streak that started back in March.
A remarkable 39 goals and eight clean sheets have been recorded during that period, as well as just seven goals being conceded, and Villa have also established an eight-point lead in the race for Champions League qualification.
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Commenting on the club record that has been set, Emery told reporters, as quoted by Birmingham Live: "Very, very proud of the matches we played here. Winning in a row 15 matches, I have never been in this situation before and I don't think I will win that many matches in a row again.
"We have to enjoy and we have to try to be proud and still be demanding like we are. We achieved it because the lost match we lost here was Arsenal. We demanded from ourselves to do a process after it. We tried to understand how we did this process and how we are now as a team
"The club is supporting and helping us, Wes (Edens) and Nassef (Sawiris). As well, the supporters inside Villa Park. They are very important."
In response to expectations growing at Villa Park, Emery added: "It is better for us because we deserve it. They are going to speak more about us but still being the same message to you and the supporters.
"We are still in there but still being seven teams being more contenders than us to get into the top seven. Of course, if we get to day 30, 32 and we are keeping the same position, maybe I can think and send another message."
Villa now travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina to face Zrinjski Mostar in the Europa Conference League on Thursday before they make the trip to Brentford in the Premier League three days later.
Darren Plant
