Unai Emery
Villa have scored in 19 consecutive Premier League games under a new manager. No other team have ever done that. Are you confident your side will always score?
“It’s difficult, but of course football is very difficult. I am aware and I try to convince the players as well about how we can compete and about how we can adapt each match.
“The way we played against Chelsea and won 2-0 is not the same as we play against Leicester, which we won 2-1, and today. Today I told them this is more difficult than the matches against Chelsea, against Leicester and we have to adapt.
“The adaptation as well is difficult. We prepare the match, everything we were thinking we will need, and we did it. The key was keep more ball possession and to keep our positioning stronger in the second half, because we more or less did in the first half, not really imposing our game plan or our control of the game, but more or less we didn’t concede a lot then and we were getting near their box as well, we were taking corners.
“But the second half, really, 30 minutes was very, very bad. That was the moment they score, but our reaction was very good and we didn’t have big chances, only one with Jacob Ramsey and we were clinical I think to draw. It’s a very good point.”
What happened with Martinez?
“He had a stomach virus, but we tried to support him and help him to play the first half. He did it and after the first half he was feeling worse. Of course, we have players here for their opportunity and we have to support them when something like that happens and we played Olsen. Of course, we are going to wait and hopefully it’s not for a long time and we play on Tuesday so it is very important that the players recover.”
Was he vomiting?
“Yes he was, no temperature but with his stomach he was not feeling good.”
Did you start slow in the second half because of Martinez’s injury?
“Emi is fantastic, but it was the moment to help and support Olsen and try to be consistent with him as well. We are having some problems with some injured players because it is normal and we have to use other players, to support and help other players to be consistent with them and with Olsen it is the same.”
While any of the injured players be back for Tuesday?
“It’s a few days. It’s difficult. Maybe we will need more days. We have players and today, for example, Calum Chambers helped us, Lucas Digne helped us and Traore as well. The reaction with them as well was good and of course I believe in the players and I have to help them to try to keep the same idea and the same way like we are doing and today was an example.
“Tuesday is the same and if we can recover players for Tuesday that would be fantastic, but I think this would be difficult, maybe for the next match against Manchester United but I don’t know exactly who.”
Why did you take seven minutes to make three changes?
“Just because they were doing corners and I didn’t want to change the corners defensively. We need to be focused in this moment. They scored in that moment but the main decision was because I don’t want to change when it’s a corner defensively.”
Lucas Digne picked up a nasty cut…
“Of course I want players being ready to play to help and now Alex Moreno is playing more, but Lucas Digne is an important player for us, and he was good. That is the way for everybody.”
