Unai Emery is meticulously preparing for Aston Villa’s trip to Fulham this weekend and the Spaniard had a lot to say about one of his players.
Nine Aston Villa players returned from international duty this week and Unai Emery was pleased to announce a clean bill of health for his players.
Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are poised to make a matchday squad against Fulham and that wasn’t the only exciting news to emerge from Friday’s press conference.
Emery also confirmed that Ezri Konsa is fit to start after his injury problem, along with Jaden Philogene, Leon Bailey, Amadou Onana and perhaps most importantly, captain John McGinn.
McGinn has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the win over Wolves in September, and now the 30-year-old is back in contention after missing some key games.
Unai Emery on ‘amazing’ John McGinn
The Scottish machine rarely misses games for Villa but with this latest injury, he wasn’t available for Premier League clashes against Ipswich Town and Man United, along with the Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich.
Villa secured back-to-back draws in the top flight and a famous win over Bayern but they’ll be pleased to have their skipper back in the side, with Emery open about his ‘love’ for McGinn.
The Spaniard thinks he’s ‘amazing’ as a person and in the dressing room and expects him to come back stronger, which is an exciting claim considering how integral he was before his injury.
“He’s amazing. As a person, as a professional in the dressing room, for teammates, for me, as well as a captain and a person, I appreciate him. I love him a lot. He was not getting the performance we wanted. Now I think he’s going to come back stronger,” Emery said as per journalist Jacob Tanswell on X.
In many ways, the international break came at the right time for Villa, who could get most of their first-team stars fully fit and McGinn is one they’re thankful to have return.
Should McGinn start vs Fulham?
McGinn’s position in the starting XI is usually non-negotiable. As a captain and leader on the pitch, he sets by example and offers unique attributes in Emery’s tactical set-up.
Whether he starts from the left, right or centrally, the Scotland international possesses energy levels that are neverending, showcasing his ability to constantly press the opposition.
Villa have missed his urgency and work rate off the ball during their two recent draws against Ipswich and Man United, but especially in the latter.
Typically, a player returning from injury would take their place on the bench and play a role in the second half. But given he’s the captain, along with his importance to the side, Emery will be tempted to throw him straight back in, perhaps replacing one of Bailey or Philogene.
Most fans would agree with that tactical switch, as it’s one that could galvanise the visitors to all three points at Craven Cottage.
