Emery urges Arsenal to turn attention to Valencia clash

Arsenal slipped to a third consecutive Premier League defeat but Unai Emery is already thinking about the looming clash with Valencia.

Unai Emery has urged Arsenal to forget its 3-0 thumping by Leicester City and swiftly turn its attention to Thursday's Europa League semifinal against Valencia.

The Gunners slumped to a third consecutive Premier League defeat on Sunday at the King Power Stadium, harming their chances of securing a top-four finish.

Brendan Rodgers' side took full advantage of Ainsley Maitland-Niles' first-half dismissal for the Gunners as Youri Tielemans put the Foxes ahead after 59 minutes before Jamie Vardy added two late goals.

Arsenal could now end the day four points behind the Champions League qualification places.

Its best hope of qualifying for Europe's top table may now lie in winning the Europa League and Emery wants his side fully focused on this week's first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

"We are going to think about Valencia in the Europa League," he told a media conference.

"We have a big ambition in this competition. It's a semifinal and it's going to be difficult also. Then we play on Sunday against Brighton and Hove Albion and we need to win that match.

"At the beginning of the season we knew it was going to be very difficult [finishing in the top four] and today it's the same.

"Our confidence can go up, can go down. But the most important thing is to be clear in our minds and in our way.

"Our way is to think of this semifinal and prepare for the match in the best possible way."

6 - Only against Liverpool (7) has Jamie Vardy scored more Premier League goals than he has against Arsenal. Pack. #ARSLEIpic.twitter.com/6LJT7bBjSi

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 28, 2019

 

Tielemans' goal was his third in 11 league starts since joining Leicester on loan from Monaco and capped a superb individual display from the Belgium international.

Rodgers would love the 21-year-old to sign a permanent deal with the club but remains unsure whether the Foxes will be able to strike a deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.

When asked if Tielemans would join permanently, Rodgers said: "I am not sure.

"There will be dialogue between the two clubs. He is clearly a player we would like to work with, but I can't add any more to that.

"I can understand the supporters love watching a young player like that and I am sure the club will do everything possible to do that, to bring him in.

"There are things he can't do, but what he is paid to do is create and score. He is doing it very well."