Unai Emery looked ahead to the challenge of hosting Sunderland at Villa Park as Aston Villa prepare for a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday, April 20.
The Black Catscontinued a winless streak in the Premier Leagueto five fixtures for Villa when they drew 1-1 at the Stadium of Light. Since then, Emery’s men have reacted impressively, moving with relative comfort into the top four of the table and earning a Europa Leaguesemi-final spot.
‘Their progression has been fantastic’
The Basque boss believes that his players have taken lessons from that rotten run to return to their standards, and they seek to consolidate their position at the top end of the table this weekend.
“They are performing fantastic. They are competing fantastic. We can remember the match we played in Sunderland, we were struggling in that moment. We drew, they played with one less player after the red card they had.
“And we were, in that moment, not winning matches, and it was a tough, tough match, physical match, a lot of duels as well. They were so, so intense, and their progression in the league has really been fantastic because they are fighting for a European position as well, and they are close to us.
“Everything (that) happened in the season was something we learned. We used it to try to get better.
“And Sunderland, especially when we played there, the team reacted fantastic. After that match, they reacted fantastic, and our progression, and how we are now is because everything we did, better or worse, we learned, and we used it for our process.
“And now, we are in different momentum, but the difficulties on Sunday are coming the same, like we faced in Sunderland in that moment.
“They are motivated. They are excited as well, and they are with the real possibilities to play in Europe next year, and they can feel, as well, if they are beating us, they are close with us.
“This is a really fantastic match for the supporters, for their supporters, our supporters, for our challenge, how we can test them, how we can as well feel with them how we are after as well, the match we played there. I am looking forward to watching this match.”
‘He’s a leader, he’s everything’
Emery emphasised the contributions of one particular player for Sunderland this season.
Granit Xhakaserved as an important midfield option for Emery when he replaced Arsene Wenger as the Arsenalmanager in 2018. The Swiss has starred in a record-breaking Bayer Leverkusensquad, and the introduction of his leadership has helped lift the levels of the promoted outfit.
“This league this year is so tight, Premier League, and Sunderland is one of the teams performing fantastic. But we are playing at home in Villa Park. We are feeling again comfortable, confident, winning some last matches after we were not winning. And Sunday is really a fantastic day.
“I am motivated and so, so excited with the players, with the team. And of course, we will need their energy again. And Villa Park with our supporters, try to connect with them and to play a special match as well, because now each match is special. Each match are three points and three points at the end of the season is really something we must appreciate a lot.
“My experience with (Xhaka) was fantastic. He’s a very good guy, very professional guy, very good player. His career has been amazing. He’s coming back here to Sunderland after he went to Germany, because I think he wants to continue competing in the high level. He’s as well practising for a coach, for the future, and he’s a leader on the field. And for them, he’s a very important player. He’s a leader, he’s everything – offensively, defensively, he is always involving, clearly, in their structure as a leader.
“And with other players, they have very good players as well. They are performing through it, fantastic, and he is very important, Granit Xhaka, how he is doing.”