After losing 0-3 to Crystal Palace and missing the FA Cup final, Aston Villa coach Unai Emery apologized to the fans, but reiterated that the Premier League remains the team's top priority this season.

This defeat made Villa go through a painful four days. First, they lost to Manchester City, their direct rival for the top four in the Premier League, and now they were easily eliminated by Crystal Palace in the cup. At present, Villa's season situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse. With four rounds left in the Premier League, the team must stabilize its form as soon as possible and strive to be among the top five and get the precious Champions League qualification.

Emery said after the game: "Our top priority is the Premier League. The Premier League is the most important. I emphasize this every day. We certainly enjoy the competition for the Champions League qualification and hope to gain something in the FA Cup, but maintaining continued competitiveness in the Premier League is fundamental."

He continued: "Our next goal is to play against Fulham. I'm sorry to the supporters, but I will control my disappointment. We must learn from our failures and make the team more mature. Last year we were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Europa League and this year we lost in the semi-finals of the FA Cup."

Despite the successive blows, Emery still stressed that the team as a whole is constantly improving: "This is the message I want to convey, we are improving, although slowly. Now is the time to manage the frustration. I am indeed disappointed, but I am proud of my players. We are trying to maintain ambition and winning trophies is very important for us."