Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reflected on his side's impressive 2-1 victory against Manchester City in the Premier League. The Spanish coach described the result as a significant step forward and highlighted improvements in the team's play.
“We prepared for the match, focusing on maintaining stability and high expectations of ourselves. We needed to see how the team would respond, considering some players, like Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash, who hadn't played on Wednesday, got their chance to step onto the pitch.”
“It was a good test. We were highly motivated, and I was eager to assess the team in such a fixture. Gradually, we are improving; our structure is solidifying, and the substitutes made a positive impact. This was a clear step forward,” Emery declared in an interview with TNT Sports.
Emery praises Nicolas Jackson
The manager specifically lauded Nicolas Jackson for his contributions, emphasising his role not just in attack but also in defensive duties.
“The way he worked, defended, and contested duels was incredible. He has the strength to attack space and engage in challenges. Earlier in the season, his problem was that he aimed for the corners of the goal when presented with scoring opportunities.”
“At the start of the season, he seemed to kick the ball as if he was playing rugby. But he is progressing and fulfilling his responsibilities,” the Aston Villa boss added.
Aston Villa continue to improve
Emery admitted that the team has yet to meet the expectations set at the beginning of the season, but he believes recent performances suggest positive momentum.
“We are progressing, but we haven’t yet reached our own expectations due to a very poor start to the season. We analysed our performance against Nottingham Forest and recognised we were quite weak.”
“In the home game against Brentford, we improved a lot, but it still wasn't enough. Today, the team made strides in various areas we have been working on to raise our standards.”
“In the Champions League, we are performing brilliantly. We're also making progress in the league, but we haven't reached the expected level yet. Our aim is to compete with teams like Manchester City and Arsenal,” Emery concluded.
