View: Aston Villa v Leeds United – three players who should concern Unai Emery
Aston Villa host Leeds United in their next Premier League clash at Villa Park as Unai Emery’s side look to close the gap to the top half of the table.
The Villans currently sit 11th in the table and have enjoyed a good run of form since the Spaniard’s arrival. However, they are coming off of a dismal FA Cup exit against League Two Stevenage and the players will be looking to react immediately to put the defeat firmly in the past.
Leeds travel to Villa Park in inconsistent form under Jesse Marsch. The Whites have invested heavily in the last two transfer windows and are about to complete a club-record move for Hoffenheim striker Georginio Rutter. The 20-year-old Frenchman won’t be able to feature against Villa, but the Yorkshire side still possesses a number of threats who could hurt Emery’s side.
Here Villa News takes a look at three players who have stood out for Leeds in recent weeks and months.
Willy Gnonto
The diminutive Italian was signed from FC Zurich in the summer and has gone on to be Leeds’ main man in recent weeks. He got on the scoresheet against West Ham with an instinctive strike from inside the box and has also been a livewire when it comes to chance creation. The 19-year-old can manipulate the ball with ease and due to his small stature, he can glide past players when required.
In the FA Cup draw against Cardiff he was the main attacking threat, with Marsch’s side eager to get the ball to him at every single opportunity. Gnonto was unplayable at times against West Ham and his underlying statistics certainly back it up. As per Wyscout, the young Italian managed a 100 per cent shot accuracy, five successful dribbles and won 67 per cent of his offensive duels.
Furthermore, he was fouled three times, which allowed Leeds’ set-piece specialist Sam Greenwood to influence the game. Villa simply have to keep a close eye on the young forward and try to nullify his threat by getting tight to him immediately. If he gets his head up and starts running at Villa’s defence, there could be issues.
Rodrigo
The Spaniard has 11 goals in all competitions this season and has been Marsch’s main goal threat. Without the 31-year-old there’s a good chance Leeds would languish in the relegation zone.
Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa will have to be at their best if they want to keep him quiet. The former Valencia striker currently sits eighth when it comes to the number of shots attempted in the Premier League.
He’s clearly not afraid to fire an effort on goal from any angle and it’s important for Emi Martinez to be at his very best if the ball finds itself to Rodrigo’s feet. Furthermore, considering the number of shots the striker has, his 40 per cent accuracy rate also puts him in the top 30 players in the league.
The 31-year-old has thrived in the penalty box this season and if Villa switch off at the back they will be punished.
Tyler Adams
Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara have been superb for Villa in recent weeks but the pair could face an intriguing battle in the centre of midfield against Tyler Adams. The American international has been Leeds’ standout performer in the 2022/23 campaign and has been a large part of any success they’ve had.
The 23-year-old is a tenacious player who will hunt down the ball whenever the chance arises. At present, only two players in the Premier League have attempted more defensive duels than Adams and this indicates that Villa’s central midfield pairing will be in for a tough encounter.
Adams’ involvement could also cause a level of frustration for Aston Villa fans with the American in the top ten for fouls given away. He likes to break up play and frustrate and it’s going to be crucial for Luiz and Kamara to avoid getting involved in any foul play which may take place.
In other Aston Villa news, Rachel Daly should be played as centre-forward for the Lionesses in 2023 after her stunning campaign in the West Midlands.