Every word Unai Emery said about Donyell Malen, Diego Carlos transfer, injuries and Arsenal
Unai Emery sat down with the media at Bodymoor Heath this afternoon ahead of Aston Villa's tea-time Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (5:30pm).
Villa have won their last three games in all competitions and are targeting successive away league wins against Arsenal after beating the title-chasing Gunners 2-0 in the capital last season.
However, revenge will also be in the air at the Emirates for Emery's team too after Arsenal won this season's reverse fixture 2-0 at Villa Park back in August.
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Here is every word Villa boss Emery said in his pre-match press conference...
What will Donyell Malen bring to your squad?
“He’s usually playing as a number seven and sometimes as a number 11 on the left side, while he can also play as a number ten. In the attacking third, he’s always close to getting into the opponent’s box to score goals and get assists. We will need a player like him trying to threaten the opponent in behind.”
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How important is it that you make improvments away from home?
“We can feel a little bit of confidence after we won at Everton, but the challenge tomorrow is to be competitive. Through being competitive, we can be close to taking a good result.
“Arsenal tomorrow will be very, very difficult. Every match we are facing is very, very difficult – at Everton as well.
“We are preparing for the match - we are very motivated and we’re going to try to play by improving things we did in Everton and improving things we did away in the last matches against top teams in the Premier League. Tomorrow we play one of the candidates and favourites to win the Premier League.”
How well has Tyrone Mings adapted following his recovery from injury?
“It’s fantastic how he is progressively helping the team; his attitude, his commitment with the club. He struggled a lot last year at the beginning of the season; he was not feeling 100 per cent to help the team. When the injury came to Pau Torres, it was his moment.
“He is really helping the team, helping us to play with his capacity and show again his skill and potential with us like he did before he was getting injured.
“Now, playing a lot of matches in a row, we have to try to be careful and protect him. Hopefully tomorrow he can feel recovered 100 per cent and playing 90 minutes like he has played in the last matches.
“I’m very happy with how he is with his attitude, his commitment. He’s a leader for other players as well and he’s very important in different directions with the players in the squad, on the field and the message we want to send to the players about how we want to be demanding in our new way here in Aston Villa.”
What is the latest on the team news?
"Pau Torres is still out and John McGinn is starting to train on the field, but is not available for tomorrow. Barkley is still out. Diego Carlos, this morning he had a medical report and he is not feeling good. I think he is not going to be there again."
What are you expecting from Arsenal tomorrow?
“This is different circumstances (to Villa’s win against Arsenal last season). That moment was a very special circumstance for them and for us because they were very involved in the Champions League against Bayern Munich and we were as well in the Conference League.
“We competed very well in that moment in 90 minutes and we won, but it was very difficult. This year it’s different circumstances. There aren’t many things similar to last year, it’s going to be different and we have to try to play, competing with the idea we have.
“We have to build the team like we are doing and try to get confidence and good feelings. Individual players need to feel confident, and this is the match we have tomorrow.”
Will Diego Carlos leave the club in this window?
"I don’t know. He had a medical report this morning and he is not feeling good. He is not going to train and he is not going to be available tomorrow. I know they are, more or less, in conversation about the possibility to leave, but I don’t know."
