Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has dropped praise and admiration for the job that Unai Emery has done at Aston Villa ahead of Sunday’s clash.
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side have been riding on a crest since he took charge of the club in November 2022. The Spaniard took Villa from relegation candidates into Europe in the space of six months last term and has now got them challenging for the top four, with some arguing they are title contenders.
The job he’s done at Villa Park has been nothing short of remarkable and he’s transformed the fortunes of several players while orchestrating an attractive style of football.
Villa stars Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey, Pau Torres, Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez, in particular, have all been put under the microscope for their incredible performances.
This has seen them draw so many plaudits, with Watkins breaking records left right and centre while Martinez has proven he’s one of, if not, the best goalkeeper on the planet.
Erik ten Hag praises Aston Villa boss Unai Emery
But ahead of their clash against Manchester United on Sunday, Erik ten Hag has reserved praise for his opposite number, Emery, and claimed that United will have to play at their maximum to get a result.
Speaking ahead of the match, ten Hag said: “It’s very good how he develops this team and it is very clear how they want to play in and out of possession. I think the players know exactly what they have to do.
“Their jobs and how they have to contribute with each other. They are a really good team and they have weapons in their team. We have to play our maximum levels to get the result.”
Who is Aston Villa’s biggest weapon?
Ten Hag praised Emery for how he sets his team up and said they have weapons that can hurt them.
While he’s probably alluding to the likes of Watkins and Bailey, who have been on fire this term, the biggest weapon he can unleash against United is Torres.
The 27-year-old has been sorely missed since picking up an injury and after returning to the bench in Wednesday’s defeat to Chelsea, he must now start on Sunday.
Against the Blues, Villa were trapped in their own half by Mauricio Pochettino’s press and they struggled to play out of it.
Diego Carlos and Clement Lenglet kept on gifting possession away, which led to an onslaught of attacks.
They can ill-afford to let that happen once more, which is why Torres should be thrown into the starting XI.
His ability to play out from the back is invaluable to helping Villa beat the press and progress play up the pitch.
There’s a reason why the Villans have only lost three of the 18 matches that the Spaniard has been involved in; he’s a crucial piece to Emery’s puzzle, whose return has given him a huge boost.
