Aston Villa manager Unai Emery conceded his team "lost a very good opportunity" after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Everton at home on Sunday. The loss, combined with other teams dropping points in the title race, means that Aston Villa remain seven points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and level on points with Manchester City.
Emery acknowledged that Villa missed their chance to return to second place in the league table, a spot they had previously occupied but lost due to a draw against Everton in September. He insisted that his team is doing "a fantastic season" despite the setback, drawing parallels between their current situation and previous results.
In a bid to stay positive, Emery reminded his players that football is about winning, losing, or drawing. When they are on the winning side, Villa are happy; when they're losing, they are sad. However, Emery stressed that his team has had more time to experience happiness than sadness throughout their season so far.
The defeat came with a personal cost for Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who was forced off after 18 minutes due to a knee injury. The loss of McGinn and other key players, including Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana, who are both struggling with injuries that could be long-term, may alter the team's transfer strategy in the market.
Emery admitted that when players get injured, it's not ideal for the team, but emphasized that it's a part of football. He said that this presents an opportunity for other players to step up and contribute to the team's performance, suggesting that Aston Villa will continue to push forward with their season despite the setbacks.
Emery acknowledged that Villa missed their chance to return to second place in the league table, a spot they had previously occupied but lost due to a draw against Everton in September. He insisted that his team is doing "a fantastic season" despite the setback, drawing parallels between their current situation and previous results.
In a bid to stay positive, Emery reminded his players that football is about winning, losing, or drawing. When they are on the winning side, Villa are happy; when they're losing, they are sad. However, Emery stressed that his team has had more time to experience happiness than sadness throughout their season so far.
The defeat came with a personal cost for Aston Villa captain John McGinn, who was forced off after 18 minutes due to a knee injury. The loss of McGinn and other key players, including Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana, who are both struggling with injuries that could be long-term, may alter the team's transfer strategy in the market.
Emery admitted that when players get injured, it's not ideal for the team, but emphasized that it's a part of football. He said that this presents an opportunity for other players to step up and contribute to the team's performance, suggesting that Aston Villa will continue to push forward with their season despite the setbacks.