"We are here trying to build a new way with Aston Villa and with the players we have now here. We are going to try to do one way in this competition. It is a very prestigious competition here in England and I think we have to be focused to build and create a strong structure in this way as well with the players we have. First, we have to think about doing something important and being a contender at the end to play in the next round.

"I was watching how many times Villa won this FA Cup and it hasn't been for a long time. They played the final against Arsenal nearly ten years ago and it is a good memory for us and we want to try to take this way.

"When we were speaking about the respect for this competition, it is not really showing it with the starting XI players, it is showing it how we prepare for the match in the meetings and how we prepare trying to be focused and play tomorrow 100 per cent concentrated everything we will want to do in the game.

"Then, I am going to respect them and doing this way, as well playing maybe with different players in the last match, or maybe the same players, but I want to get the performances thinking to play getting our best level.

"We have to respect Middlesbrough and we have to respect that we are playing away and they will be excited. They are playing well and their structure is really good. After analysing them, they are good with the ball and they are a good team. Individually they have good players and have important injured players.

"They are going to play in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup against Chelsea, but we must respect the opponent. Playing away, playing with their wishes to do something against us.

"We are in a top position in the Premier League and for them it will be a special match and they will try to show their best qualities and for the coaches it is good to show their tactical work they are doing. I appreciate them and respect them. We need to be competitive away and tactically we are trying to feel stronger. Tomorrow is a very good opportunity and of course, we are going to try to be successful.

"Last year was very, very different because we had other circumstances and we had in the squad different circumstances with some players. We decided more to let some players leave than sign players. This year is not the same because we have some players who are injured and we are playing in the Europa Conference League.

"I am thinking not a lot about it because maybe one or two players could leave, maybe but it's not clear. If we are trying to get someone it is really because we are very convinced he is going to increase our level in the squad. It is not very clear in the January window to get it.

"I don't like to speak about rotation. We want to try to give them chances and opportunities that they have qualities. Every player is working in the same structure tactically, offensively and defensively with the mentality we want to build.

"Every player they are ready to play, sometimes more than less, but tomorrow I have the same idea in my mind; to play with the starting XI and with the players on the bench in our strong structure.

"I am not now deciding for tomorrow the starting XI because I want to know something more during the day, today and tomorrow morning. We are going to meet with the team tomorrow morning and I will tell them the idea.

“There was different circumstances last year and the moment was different as we tried to escape from the bottom of the table, trying to build a team with different players and we lost because we were in a different moment. Stevenage was a very bad memory and reminder for me, so tomorrow I am going to try to do a different step forward in this competition.

"Always we have to be demanding when we are playing for every match we face, but it is a way for a trophy. It is a way for prestige for us and for the club, for every supporter and coach.

"Keep being consistent and demanding. We have to remember everything tactically more or less - how we want to defend and build our structure with more possession and how keep consistent mentality and adapt to opponent and be respectful of them. Football is very difficult, you can't get it right every day - we must rest and build our structure."

Unai Emery, pre-match.


"We created not very clear chances, but in the second half we created very good chances and they had some good attacks.

"We were keeping in our mind the game plan and our passions. At the end we won and more or less I think we deserved it.

"The mentality you have to be there everyday and you have to get experiences and see what we are facing.

"We were keeping in our mind the game plan and until the last minute we were trying to be very positive in our area and at the end we won. It was fantastic.

"We were remembering before the match the past few years where we have not qualified past the third round, but today we played seriously for 90 minutes with a game plan and we controlled the game a lot.

"They had very good players trying to combine, play with possession and trying to get in behind.

"We have to go into each match and get the best result. The first target is to be consistent through the Premier League and then to try to be consistent in the Conference League and the FA Cup. But, of course, we have to be consistent and we have to face each competition and improve."

Unai Emery.


"I have worked on it in training outside the box to finish, we have worked on having three around the edge and my instinct was to shoot.

"We work really hard on them and credit to Austin [MacPhee]. Boro are a tough team and have a top manager, they are doing well in the Championship and the main priority for us was to get the win.

"In the first half we found some good spaces on the left and the game plan was to continue that. It took some time, but we finally got there.

"The manager had made it clear in the hotel that we had not done well in this competition. It is nice to finally do that tonight [progress past third round].

"The manager is so good at that and whatever competition we are in we go out and do our best to get the result. In Europe we are doing well and the league and tonight as well.

"He has improved me a lot and we have a full-back coach as well. In recent weeks I have struggled with my calf but hopefully I can go on and kick on."

Matty Cash


"We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Middlesbrough are a good team. We had to come here and be defensively strong and we did that today.

"There were moments they put us under pressure but we defended well and got the win.

"Since I've been here, we haven't gone beyond the third round before. It has been tough.

"At the end, all I could think about was getting the win."

Ezri Konsa.