Unai Emery admits Villa’s first-half performance did not meet his standards

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery said his side’s first-half performance in their 3-1 win over Wolves was the “worst” of his reign at Villa Park.

Villa appeared to be suffering a Champions League hangover against their midlands rivals as a lacklustre showing saw them trail to Matheus Cunha’s 25th-minute opener.

But they came to life after the break and goals from Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Jhon Duran in the final 20 minutes saw them win for a fourth time in the Premier League this season.

“I’m very happy, very happy, we were suffering in the first half more than normal,” Emery said. “I think it is the worst match we played from the first time I arrived here until now.

“We didn’t play with energy, we were a little bit passive. We planned the match trying to be more active, trying to impose on the match.

“It was a very poor performance in the first half. The second half changed a little bit, we tried to push the players to be more active in the press.

“I like to play always with our positioning but we had to play with our heart and transmitting our energy and we did it.”

Villa loss captain John McGinn to a hamstring injury in the first half and Emery thinks he could be out for a period of time.

He added: “It’s his hamstring, he had one last year in January a hamstring injury and today it’s less than that but he will be not available for a few weeks.”

Wolves also suffered an injury as defender Yerson Mosquera was carried off with what looked a serious knee problem.

Mosquera will have a scan on Sunday and boss Gary O’Neil has his fingers crossed it is not as bad as it looked.

“I have no real information, but it just doesn’t look good,” he said. “It was obviously a big blow in the game for us and it would be a big blow, obviously an area of the pitch we are already short in and it’s not good at this moment.”

Wolves are still waiting for their first win of the season and suffered another late capitulation after conceding two goals in the final 15 minutes to lose against Newcastle last week.

“As well as we played first half, when we could have probably bit further in front, no one comes to Aston Villa and wins at a canter,” O’Neil added.

“The second half was never going to look like the first half was. And the lads were aware that it might get tough and we might have to fight and scrap.

“They’re a resilient group, and they give everything, but a couple of slips and we’ve been punished for again today.”