Diego Carlos has sent a warning to Arsenal before of their match, while Unai Emery has taken Leon Bailey out of his comfort zone at Aston Villa to develop him into a Premier League force.
“You don’t scare us,” Diego Carlos has sent a warning to Arsenal.
The formidable defender for Aston Villa, who won 1-0 at Villa Park on Wednesday to overtake Manchester City into third place, praised the job done under Unai Emery. Moreover, the defender—who has struggled with chronic injuries since joining at the beginning of the previous season—put up a strong showing as he silenced Erling Haaland and company.
As Villa dominated, Pep Guardiola’s star striker was the only player to get two shots on goal in the first ten minutes. Furthermore, Carlos has informed the Gunners—who visit Villa Park on Saturday night—that Villa has no fear of anybody.
“That was a very, very good performance against Manchester City,” he declared. As players, we have confidence in ourselves and don’t feel afraid. Every player should feel comfortable with the ball and their place, according to the coach.
We make a strong team. Unai made a positive impact on the squad and the players from the moment he came. Although we currently hold a solid place in the standings, our season is far from over. There are plenty of games to play still. Remaining modest and grounded is crucial. It is this that matters most to me. We don’t fear the teams we play against; instead, we appreciate them all.
Leon Bailey’s transformation into a Premier League force by Emery removing him from his Villa Park comfort zone has been one of Villa’s season’s highlights. The Spaniard has disclosed how a heart-to-heart conversation with the Jamaican international turned the 26-year-old into a formidable player.
With a deflected strike against Manchester City, Bailey scored his eighth goal of the year in Villa’s thrilling 1-0 victory. However, he gave one of his best performances overall when wearing a claret shirt because of the chaos he created Guardiola’s back line with his ball running.
Bailey, who paid £25 million to go from Bayer Leverkusen to Villa two and a half years ago, has frequently come under fire for appearing in and out of games. Without a doubt, neither Steven Gerrard nor Dean Smith came close to matching Emery’s return.
The manager of Villa stated: “As soon as I got to the club, I started gathering data from the players. I then began to have one-on-one sessions with a few of them after I had a better understanding of them.
Leon Bailey was one of them. He has incredible potential. At home, though, there were moments when we would look at him and say, “Wow, what a player.” And then it was gone, totally changed. He has shown humility by listening to us and accepting that we were aware of his areas for improvement. He scored his first Premier League goal away from home for Villa against Bournemouth on Sunday.
“Here’s an illustration. When he was not at home, he needed to be more consistent. At home, he is reliable. What makes it unique? It was the procedure we needed to comprehend. He’s getting better. Because he knows he must do it, he is improving. His performances now, in my opinion, are excellent at home and considerably better abroad.
“I believe his commitment has improved from last year, but it’s still important to demand improvement from him in every game.” If Villa defeats the Gunners on Saturday and sets a club record for the most consecutive league victories—15—they will be within one point of leaders Arsenal.
Emery and his team are gaining ground on the numbers. They have amassed 42 points at Fortress Villa Park, scored 37 goals, given up just seven, and defeated Mikel Arteta’s team in February.
But even with his quick ascent through the Premier League ranks, Emery is not settling for less. “There are seven teams that are stronger contenders than us,” he declared. We’re glad to be in third place, but it will be extremely challenging to stay there.
“There are still more matches to be played; we are just at matchday fifteen. Perhaps we could compete. But not just yet—we require more time. Although we are able to believe, we will not. It is the fifteenth matchday. At matchday 30 or 32, it might alter, but not just yet.
