While acknowledging that the club is in a process, he admitted that securing Champions League qualification in successive seasons was always going to be a challenge.

Villa started the campaign strongly, losing just one of their first 13 matches in all competitions. However, since October, they have struggled to build momentum, managing three successive wins only twice.

Their longest winning run in the league came early in the season against Leicester, Wolves, and Everton, but since then, they have only won back-to-back matches on two occasions.

Currently sitting in ninth place with 13 league games remaining, Villa's recent form has been inconsistent.

Last month, they secured impressive away victories against Everton and Arsenal, yet failed to capitalise, drawing with West Ham and Wolves before being knocked out of the FA Cup by Ipswich Town. That run saw them collect just two points from a possible nine.

"It is always about getting balance and trying to identify how we are in each moment," Emery said ahead of Villa's Premier League clash against leaders Liverpool.

"It's not the same as we were two years ago, progressively getting better in the middle of the table and then last spring we achieved seventh and played in the Conference League.

"Last year we were more or less being consistent in the top five, four, six. This year we're not getting this consistency, we're under this position, but we're not being so frustrated because we're understanding our process is sometimes higher and sometimes lower.

"We understand that we are not Liverpool, City, Arsenal or even United or Tottenham but we can understand and be better to be on the same level with Nottingham now they are better than us.

"This is the process we're trying to understand inside. Of course we want to play Champions League every year but that's very difficult because there is another seven contenders more than you every year.

"We have to try to improve by being intelligent, joining some players, working hard and trying to improve young players and being demanding, consistent, and getting balance.

"Now we look at the season, how it's going, good or bad? It depends. If we watch Champions League... wow, fantastic. The Premier League, it is not enough. The FA Cup is fantastic after a long time we're close to progressing. This is the balance.

"The most important thing for us is to be consistent in the Premier League and normally through it you get your objective. Of course, if we win the Champions League it's enough, if we win the FA Cup it's enough, but if we don't do that we have to focus on the Premier League.

"Our objective has to be to play in Europe consistently and then be contenders to be lucky and to perform well for some trophies."

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