"I am being very, very demanding myself to choose in each match the player to start and the players on the bench and the subs players, and firstly is always trying to get the best performance collectively, through individual players.

"Harvey is a 10 in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches, and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure.

"Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point).

"At the same time, we have other players who can play as 10, and they are performing well, and I have different players.

"This is the main reason he is not playing the last match but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session, and of course getting his confidence in the performance."

**Unai Emery on Harvey Elliott.**



"It was a nice strike. It's something we worked on yesterday in training, not exactly for me to hit it, it was a special corner but it wasn't meant for me.

"I've had a few like them, I've scored four this season for club and country. On the edge of the box I like shooting, it's what I like to do in training, hit them nice and sweet.

"We work a lot on set-pieces, over the last couple of years there have been a lot of set-pieces that have won us games and today is no different.

"The last month we've been really good. Defensively really good. We've just stuck together as a group. And at Villa Park they're always behind us."

**Matty Cash, post-match.**



"I spoke with him about it. My advice was to keep going, training, and when it is his opportunity, to play well. He is a very good player. Our demands are in the high level. He needs time to work and wait for his moment."

"In the squad today we needed to take one player out, and I decided for him. I am happy with him. He is training good. His commitment is fantastic and he is a good guy. . It was a tactical decision. I spoke with him about it and my advice was to ‘keep going’.

"He’s a very good player, only our demands are at a high level and some players and how they are performing last year and this year, are playing in the same position. We signed him because I believe in him. He will need time."

“Very proud of how supporters transmitted us the energy. “Positive, always helping us & the players they were feeling, ‘wow’, like our fortress, our power to show, after this positive energy, their skills, commitment tactically to do everything we planned."

**Unai Emery on Harvey Elliott.**



"He is getting fit, but not enough. I planned to play him in the second half, but after Buendia's injury, I got him on. I [subbed sub] before with Morgan Rogers and Buendia. It was not a punishment, he played 45 minutes."

**Unai Emery on Jordan Sancho.**


Today, the ninety minutes was a very good summary of the last three years. Confidence in our game-plan, commitment in our plan, even not scoring, Watkins and Morgan playing a fantastic game. And we are winning and we are happy.”

"He has a very good shot. He scored two goals a few weeks ago with his national team. He did a very good goal. We have players who are progressively getting better, being confident and playing with qualities. This is the combination we want."

"Our fortress. Villa Park. We are feeling here so, so good. The positive energy to us was fantastic. We needed to show our wishes and commitment, and our capacity to play. I am so proud. How the supporters are pushing us is very, very important."


**Unai Emery, post-match.**