Jacob Ramsey lifts lid on injury struggles and makes Aston Villa Champions League point
Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Jacob Ramsey insists Champions League bid should be the club's target this season
Jacob Ramsey insists Aston Villa should be targeting Champions League qualification given the sensational start they have made to the Premier League season.
Villa are just two points off top spot after the first 16 games of the campaign and beat last season’s top two, Man City and Arsenal at Villa Park just 72 hours apart to open up a five point cushion inside the top five. Unai Emery’s side have a perfect record at Villa Park after claiming their 15th consecutive home league win at the weekend by beating Arsenal, which set a new club record.
Only in 1980-81, when they last won the title, have Villa ever had more than their current tally of 35 points after 16 top-flight games in a season. Ramsey, who has come off the bench in the club's last five in all competitions, believes Villa must target a bid for Champions League football this term.
READ | I fancy my old club for European glory - my son still goes to games
READ | Ollie Watkins is right up there with the best forwards in Europe
“Right now, based on how we’re playing and the results we’re getting especially at home, our aim should be in the top four,” Ramsey admitted to the Villa News & Record.
“If we can transfer our home form into the away fixtures, I don’t see why we can’t get top four. There are a lot of teams fighting for those Champions League spots and we’ve also got the Europa Conference League to focus on and hopefully we can reach the latter stages of that competition.”
Ramsey is yet to start a league campaign this season due to injury. He broke a metatarsal on international duty back in the summer and returned to action in September, before suffering a reoccurrence of the injury which kept him out for ten weeks.
The 22-year-old is now building up his fitness having made a return last month, in the 2-1 win at Tottenham.
“Getting injured hurts physically but I think the biggest thing that people don't realise is mentally how tough it's tough being out of the team and not being with the lads,” Ramsey said.
“When you’re doing your rehab, you’re on your own with the physio and you feel a bit lost. With my injury I was only out for a total of 16 weeks, but Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia will be out for nine to ten months.
“Mentally, you feel lost. You still feel a part of the team but you’re not really part of the team: you’re not training, you’re not in the hotels with the lads, you’re not in the team meetings.
“We’ve got amazing support from the boss and he’s always coming down to the physio and speaking with the injured players. We’ve got top physios here, so you always come back stronger.”