Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is plotting to use one of his players on a more regular basis from now until the end of this season, but that same man could still be on the way out next year.
Aston Villa slump in form but Unai Emery remains calm
The Premier League top four contenders have endured a real slump in form lately, tasting defeat in each of their last four matches across all competitions.
Newcastle and Mitchell now racing to beat Aston Villa to sign next Rudiger
He’s still just 20 years old…
ByTom CunninghamNov 20, 2024
Emery’s side were knocked out by today’s top flight opponents, Crystal Palace, in the Carabao Cup last 16 during the final week of October, and were then battered 4-1 away to Champions League qualification rivals Tottenham.
Crystal Palace (home)
23 November
Chelsea (away)
1 December
Brentford (home)
4 December
Southampton (home)
7 December
Nottingham Forest (away)
14 December
Losses to Club Brugge and Liverpool followed soon after, rounding off a nightmare few weeks for Villa, who were happy to see the international break come around.
Oliver Glasner is a man under pressure at Palace, so the Eagles won’t be easy customers as they look to resurrect their own season.
“We have 38 matches in the Premier League,” said Emery on Villa’s form lately.
“Sometimes we can have good results, sometimes not, but we have to accept it. This is the reason we try to keep calm, try to rest the players after their matches with the national team. We are focusing on the match because it’s a very, very important three points.
“We will try to dominate and impose our game plan with our tactical idea and the duels against the players they have. The Premier League is very difficult and we can remind ourselves of the matches we played last year against teams more or less in the bottom of the table, like when we drew against Sheffield [United] in the last minute and came back against Burnley in the last minute. We know how to feel comfortable and strong, playing with our idea and imposing and dominating the match.”
Ahead of their return to action, there are reports casting doubt on the long-term future of £100,000-per-week defender Diego Carlos.
Emery plotting role change for Diego Carlos who could leave Aston Villa
There are suggestions that Emery is open to selling Carlos, with Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke providing a further update on the situation.
He writes that Emery could consider using Carlos in his Villa eleven more often, but it is still believed that the Brazilian may still be axed in January for a suitable fee, rather than let him leave when his contract expires in 2026.
Realistically, NWSE and Monchi have just two more transfer windows to sell the 31-year-old for a suitable fee, so this is the most likely scenario as things stand, with Villa weighing up whether to let him leave in the winter or at the end of this season.
Emery has been boosted by the return of Tyrone Mings, but Villa’s presence in the Champions League and effort to seize back Premier League form means that Carlos should arguably stay, as injuries could ravage the squad at any given time.