Aston Villa boss Unai Emery must do something he has never done vs Burnley this weekend
Unai Emery will look to continue Aston Villa’s turnaround on Sunday when his side face Burnley at Villa Park.
Villa are the favourites against Burnley, with confidence once again flowing through the team following three consecutive victories.
Last week, Villa Park was treated to wins against Bologna and Fulham, before Emery‘s side beat Feyenoord in Rotterdam on Thursday.
Ezri Konsa, Marco Bizot, and Emi Buendia impressed massively against Feyenoord, and may well keep their places against Burnley.
Bizot, in particular, stood out for Villa, with the Dutchman stepping in as a late replacement for Emi Martinez after the Argentine had been injured in the warm-up.
Unai Emery has a perfect record vs Burnley
Emery is expected to make three changes for the Burnley game, with the Spaniard unlikely to want to make too many alterations to a winning team.
One player certain to keep his place in the starting line-up is Buendia. There was talk of the Argentine leaving in the summer, with the midfielder not expected to play much of a role this season.
But amid Villa‘s poor start to the campaign, the 28-year-old has seized his opportunity.
| Emi Buendia | Vs Feyenoord (A) |
| Minutes played | 71 |
| Accurate passes | 22/26 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Tackles | 3 |
| Duels won | 6 |
On Thursday, Buendia was excellent. Going forward, the former Norwich City man was composed and effective, finishing brilliantly for Villa’s opener.
The midfielder did not forget his defensive work, either, and worked tirelessly to put his opposing defenders under pressure.
Emery will hope Buendia can, once again, play a key role on Sunday, as he looks to maintain a perfect individual record.
The Spaniard has faced off against Burnley five times throughout his time in England, winning on every single occasion.
Emery can do something against Burnley for the first time
Whilst Emery’s record against Burnley remains perfect, there is one element the Spaniard can improve it with.
For three games in charge of Arsenal, and two in charge of Villa, Emery has never managed to keep a clean sheet against the Clarets.
The 2023-24 home Premier League fixture against Burnley actually saw the visitors score twice, in a narrow win for Villa.
Emery will hope Sunday can mark both his sixth win and his first clean sheet against the Clarets.
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