Unai Emery has called on Aston Villa fans to be behind the team as they face Brighton and Hove Albion at Villa Park.
Last time out Villa were very poor for the most part and suffered a deserved 2-1 loss at the hands of Everton.
It could have been a coincidence but Villa had plenty of empty seats on the night. This saw the atmosphere be quieter than usual.
It must be said that a ticket for the game was £45 and many fans refused to pay that price.
In previous years season tickets were given the first home cup game of the year. This year, that was not the case and prices increased.
As a result, the Villa manager is hopeful of an amazing atmosphere on Saturday morning.
What has Unai Emery said?
When Villa Park is bouncing, there aren’t many finer stadiums in the country to be in.
This is what Unai Emery wants to see against the Seagulls as Villa look to secure back-to-back Premier League wins.
On the ground, the Spaniard said: “Villa Park is special, and I want to feel it. I want to keep the same spirit and energy we have at home and that we feel with our supporters.
“Everybody has to help us and support us to try and do another special moment in Villa Park. We are really connecting with them.”
Last season, in huge games against Brighton, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, the atmosphere was unbelievable. That contributed to huge wins.
Emery wants that to be the case again: “The key for tomorrow is to try and be strong with everybody and to feel our supporters behind us for 90 minutes.
“Then try to play with personality, to play 100% focused on our gameplan and be very demanding of ourselves, individually and collectively.”
Prior to the Everton defeat, the Villains were unbeaten in over 10 games at Villa Park.
On that, he said: “We want to be consistent at home like we have been doing.”
The Villa boss is full of respect for the opponents and knows that it will be a difficult game.
Discussing the game plan, he said: “Tomorrow, we have to adapt and maybe it will be different. We have to prepare for the match by analysing them and trying to play with personality and impose our style.
“We must run tomorrow more than them, we must win duels more than them, we must be more organised than them, we must take each one with the responsibility facing them being a winner.”
A huge game which will show who has truer ambitions of challenging the elite moving forward.
