"Still injured are the players who had surgery, like Mings, Buendia and Kamara. Kamara had it yesterday. Mings and Buendia every day are closer to starting to return but they will not play this season. Konsa is progressing very well but still out for this match. Carlos is working alone and Duran. The other players are ready for tomorrow.

“I always accept injuries, but always it is hard when we have three ACL injuries this season, but the circumstances sometimes happen. Players can always get injured, but ACL is more difficult than others.

“When you play you’re at risk, even myself I had this injury. It’s not something to analyse deeply, there is always a risk to a player.

“I never use some moments with some players out injured or other circumstances as an argument to prepare differently. I try to give players confidence and be ready because they will play and will need to play - with some players less - but need the same performances - now is the moment.

“Lenglet and Pau Torres had their first game together but played well and [had a] good connection. This Saturday is the same. We might have to use different players in different positions but still feel comfortable.

“Of course my first objective was to have two left footed players in build-up with Mings and Pau Torres. When Mings out we found another player in case Torres was injured. We brought in Lenglet, he is playing very good and Pau Torres adapted quicker than I thought. Torres helps a lot in our build-up because he is very good at controlling the game with positioning.

“Zaniolo will help us in different positions in attacking third. Kamara is more difficult because he is out for a long time, but McGinn played different positions.

“We are excited as well to play in Europe. We are going to face Ajax in Amsterdam, they are a big club and very successful club. We can enjoy playing against them there and at Villa Park with our supporters.

“We played AZ Alkmaar before and more or less it could be the same travelling and the same idea and style - as Netherlands teams have a similar idea of playing football. We will wait on the match and focus on the Premier League.

“We have enough players to play in both competitions. Players are injured but Konsa, Duran and be ready in few weeks. If have to use under-23 players will use them, I will be positive. I can remember at the start of the season, for four to five months we had no Moreno or Ramsey due to injury and then as well Digne, and were still got performances and in the top four. I will be confident in players have for these competitions.

“Nuno plays the same structure more or less, feeling comfortable in different tactical ideas, not just defence, good in transition. Gibbs-White is a very good player, he is very important to them because he has good tempo, good passes and he is very intelligent. It’s not easy to stop him. Nuno is taking them to a new level.

“I respect them. I expect a lot of them, their coach, players, they were very, very competitive before. When we played there they competed and won, they are still very competitive, new energy with new coach, very experienced coach and good tactically.

“I analyse now their structure of course I respect him a lot, when I was here before v Wolverhampton always tough matches, tactically strong, good defence with good transition.

“They are trying to have a good structure defensively and good transition from Gibbs-White, wingers and their striker - they are trying to control the game with good combinations. Tomorrow will be very difficult. My respect is for their players [and] coach, they are tactically very strong.

They play a high press and it’s very difficult to break their press, If we do well they might play a low block but they try to connect with Awoniyi and wingers - Dominguez and Danilo in middle have players to play different tactics for 90 mins.

“We are excited to play at Villa Park. We are aware about our last two matches at home didn’t win against Chelsea, Newcastle and Man United. First we want to transmit a positive energy at home, connect with our supporters and feel comfortable in our structure.

“They are different moments. We are the same and so are they but there are different circumstances. We lost but had chances, tomorrow will be different. Very difficult. Respect them and try to show our best. At Villa Park we always feel comfortable and feeling with good energy. The last couple we didn’t get good results.

"We want to improve the team always - and the squad - and to continue building and be stronger. But in case we have to follow some rules and take that one decision to change something in the squad, we will have to do.

"We follow the rules, but we are having a lot of meeting with the owners. It is not a drama. We have to try and get a balance, but we are in this way. We are trying to have a plan and we have to get something in the balance, doing some decisions in our way.”

Unai Emery pre-match.


"Pau Torres is a very good player and his level is high.

“He is playing with the Spain national team, more or less being consistent. We worked together in Spain and were doing a plan with him.

"He was progressing. Taking the decision to come here and play in the Premier League is more demanding, even in the duels. That is the first objective he has, in how he can improve, is try to be strong when he has to fight with really very good strikers.

"Not only with the ball but when he has to run back and be in contact with the striker’s body. Then it is about trying to adapt quickly in the best qualities he has, trying to adapt and play with the ball. He is doing it very well and in my idea and style I am trying to create here, he is very important.

"Of course when he came here last year it was because we had a very good relationship professionally. He knows me and I know him. When he was in Spain another step for him was to try and play in the Premier League or the top teams in Spain. He decided to come here and of course it is very important I was here and I spoke with him about it.

"He had offers (previously), from the Premier League. But he decided in that moment, we were playing in the Champions League with Villarreal, to stay there. He had offers from the top six in the Premier League.

"If I was the coach at Barcelona and Real Madrid I would want a player like him. He had some offers from top six teams before in the Premier League. He refused because he decided to stay in Spain.

"There were teams in Italy and Germany as well. I always wanted him because I think his potential I can help him improve more. His challenge here in the Premier League is to improve the weaknesses which might stop him progressing with another team.

"Again, he is showing his potential and he is adapting to our structure and the Premier League very quickly. Of course, there is more work to do but I think now he is feeling comfortable and more confident. Everyone can see his quality."

Unai Emery on Pau Torres.


"It was very important.”

We adapted well at Sheffield United and Fulham after defeats at home but we needed confidence here and a reaction. We are feeling vey comfortable and confident at Villa Park.

"We more or less deserved to win. We played a really fantastic match in the first half and only the first 15 minutes of the second half we had some doubts but we stayed calm and reacted well.

"We knew before the match that they could play despite our domination in the match. They have very good transitions and some pace players and they could surprise us.

"We were very careful about that. We didn't concede any transitions in the first half and we only conceded one corner, which they scored form. The maturity and personality we showed after their second goal was superb and then we scored and controlled the game.

"We have very different ways to threaten the opponent and different teams demand different things."

Unai Emery post match.


"He had a small pain, hopefully not injured.

"We decided not to take a risk with him. He was progressively feeling worse but not feeling really injured.

"Of course, when Calum Chambers stayed here after the transfer window, I told him ‘you are here now to help us practice and in case we need you, you need to be ready to play’.

"He played the second half and he was very important. The team felt in the second half after the first 15 minutes comfortable and dominating the match as well with him."

Unai Emery on Pau Torres.


"We were very motivated because after we lost two matches here at home after a long time in a row winning matches here and feeling comfortable and connected with our supporters and being confident. But after we lost two matches at home, we could have lost a little bit our confidence and we could lose something in our structure tactically. But we were planning the same, like we played against Newcastle even losing against Manchester United. We reacted very well in Sheffield and Fulham and today was the match, we were focusing in confirmation if we are reacting as well at home.

"Firstly playing with personality and trying to control the game with our style. And the first half, we did fantastic, we did fantastic. I was very happy. I was feeling comfortable, feeling confident. Of course, when they scored the goal, it was the only chance we conceded in the first half.

"Then in the second half we started the first 15 minutes with some doubts and they scored a goal. But our reaction was fantastic as we did before in other matches. After some doubt with that, we were again playing personality, being calm and trying to control the game. Douglas Luiz lost the first two balls in the second half and I told him 'please Douglas, you are a key player for us to try to keep comfortable and confidence playing in our style'.

"And again, he took control of the game with his skills and gave us confidence. We were taking different experiences in ninety minutes, sometimes being better than the opponent and sometimes conceding chances. But we were calm. The most important thing for me is the mentality we showed.

"I think now with Leon Bailey, he is more consistent. He's playing more consistently at home and still has work to do away. But of course we are trying with him to support, to help him try to set him in his best position and try to take a commitment defensively as well, like we need and he's doing that and has been really positive. He's using his qualities and skills through the team as well with Tielemans, Watkins, Cash and John McGinn in those combinations on the pitch. He's getting better.

"We've still got a lot work to do with him but his progress is being positive and for us is very important because he's a scoring goal, doing assists. But still work to do and of course, I will push him to be more consistent even away from home.

“Always in my career I have to accept injuries and I am trying to build a squad of players being versatile like McGinn - again, he played fantastic.

“We have players in the squad who try to support them, try to work with them, being demanding in case they will play to be ready. When we have injuries, other players must take responsibility.

“They always have to be in good preparation. Today it was with Chambers and this week we worked well even with injured players. We are trying to work hard and understand our idea and tactical style.

“We have to be comfortable in this way and they showed it, Chambers and Morgan Rogers played some minutes, Nicolo as well is working very well in practice and trying to help us on the pitch. We are going to recover players in two or three weeks but we will have some players out injured still.

"We have players and every player has to be ready. They have to be in practice working hard to wait for their opportunity. Even when we decided to sign Morgan, bring back Kaine Kesler-Hayden, they have to be ready. Chambers too.

"We will play against Ajax and we are excited to get something in Europe. We have players more experienced playing three matches in the week. We will do it in two weeks again playing this amount of matches.

"If the players are ready to play then we can play three matches in a week with some players and maybe others. We always want to get the performance as best as possible."

Unai Emery post match.


"It was a good start for us, obviously our performances have not been great at home, but going 3-0 up gave us loads of confidence.

"It was very important for us to leave it in the past as the Premier League is a difficult league. But it's so fast you can turn things around.

"It's just in our game plan, sometimes from the right side, sometimes the left. There was a lot of space on the right, I was trying to utilise my speed and quality in there.

"I feel good, obviously I've been working on being more consistent. The work is paying off, I am really happy, and that is what makes me really confidence I can showcase my talent.

"That's the goal for us, we want to be in the Champions League next season. The key is to be consistent and take it step by step.”

Leon Bailey.


"It is very good. I am very happy. He is a key player and sometimes we need him to be focused and successful on the pitch. At the start of the second half he lost two balls in the middle of the ball but he reacted very well and he was a key player for us in the final half an hour."

Unai Emery on Douglas Luiz.


"He is demonstrating his ability and being more consistent. He deserves everything he is showing. We want him to carry on being more consistent."

Unai Emery on Leon Bailey.


"We train at this every day, the gaffer helps us so much. The character of Ollie [Watkins] and Leon [Bailey], it is great to have them in my team.

"I just think he [Unai Emery] has lifted me, it is the truth. He has told me every day, you need to defend, and if you go you need to score.

"Nearly! [a hat-trick] In the second half I needed to push a bit more."

Douglas Luiz.