Unai Emery had little appetite for talking about Manchester City's ongoing charges when reporters put the question to him following Aston Villa's hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Premier League giants.

The Villa head coach brushed aside the off-field controversy with characteristic directness, insisting the focus should remain firmly on football — and on his side's impressive performance in securing all three points.

Emery's response was energetic and pointed. Rather than engaging with questions about City's well-documented charges, the Spaniard redirected attention to the contest itself and what the result means for Aston Villa.

The win over Manchester City underlines Villa's growing reputation as genuine contenders under Emery's management, and his desire to keep external matters firmly at arm's length speaks to the disciplined culture he has built at Villa Park.