Unai Emery lauded Aston Villa captain Jon McGinn after the Villans defeated Fulham 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday (12 November).
The 29-year-old midfielder scored the game’s second goal with a brilliant finish as Villa maintained their strong form at Villa Park. Villa won their 13th consecutive home game, closing the gap on fourth-placed Tottenham at the top. McGinn scored a fantastic goal and could have added an assist in the second half had Ollie Watkins’ delivery not been diverted into the net.
Emery lavished praise on his captain, describing him as a “fantastic” player. McGinn, he says, has a lot of energy and is very consistent. At the same time, the Villa midfielder is a “very demanding” player.
“He is a demanding individual.” He is a competitor who is always physically prepared to play. He rests when he is not training or playing, but his energy is never depleted! He is a great example. “He is consistent and is trying to help and be with us as a good example for other players,” Emery said, according to the Birmingham Mail.
I admire him as a person, and he is an excellent professional. His connection here, his long-term commitment to the fans, Aston Villa, and the project, he was coming here in the Championship. He’s a player I admire, and I need to set a good example for others.”
Beautiful Villa
The atmosphere at Villa Park is electric right now, and Emery has done an incredible job at the club. They are fifth in the league table, one point behind Spurs, who were first only a few weeks ago.
Villa may not have the depth and strength of squads like Arsenal, Liverpool, or Manchester City, but they are punching above their weight. What has really impressed me is Emery’s ability to restore Villa Park to its former glory.
Winning at home is always a good sign, and Villa are doing everything right right now to push for a top-four finish, which they probably wouldn’t have imagined at the start of the season.
