Unai Emery takes his Aston Villa team to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
And ahead of the clash at Emirates Stadium, the club's manager previewed the game with reporters at Bodymoor Heath.
Here's what he had to say...
On signing Donyell Malen...
“He’s usually playing as a number seven and sometimes as a number 11 on the left side, while he can also play as a number ten.
“In the attacking third, he’s always close to getting into the opponent’s box to score goals and get assists. We will need a player like him trying to threaten the opponent in behind.”
On making improvements away from home…
“We can feel a little bit of confidence after we won in Everton, but the challenge tomorrow is to be competitive. Through being competitive, we can be close to taking a good result.
“Arsenal tomorrow will be very, very difficult. Every match we are facing is being very, very difficult – in Everton as well.
“We are preparing the match, we are very motivated and we’re going to try to play, improving things we did in Everton and improving things we did away in the last matches against top teams in the Premier League.
“Tomorrow we play one of the candidates and favourites to win the Premier League.”
On facing Arsenal…
“This is different circumstances (to Villa’s win against Arsenal last season). That moment was a very special circumstance for them and for us because they were very involved in the Champions League against Bayern Munich and we were as well in the Conference League.
“We competed very well in that moment in 90 minutes and we won, but it was very difficult. This year it’s different circumstances. There aren’t many things similar to last year, it’s going to be different and we have to try to play, competing with the idea we have.
“We have to build the team like we are doing and try to get confidence and good feelings. Individual players need to feel confident, and this is the match we have tomorrow.”
On Tyrone Mings…
“It’s fantastic how he is progressively helping the team; his attitude, his commitment with the club.
“He struggled a lot last year at the beginning of the season; he was not feeling 100% to help the team. When the injury came to Pau Torres, it was his moment.
“He is really helping the team, helping us to play with his capacity and show again his skill and potential with us like he did before he was getting injured.
“Now, playing a lot of matches in a row, we have to try to be careful and protect him. Hopefully tomorrow he can feel recovered 100% and playing 90 minutes like he has played in the last matches.
“I’m very happy with how he is with his attitude, his commitment. He’s a leader for other players as well and he’s very important in different directions with the players in the squad, on the field and the message we want to send to the players about how we want to be demanding in our new way here in Aston Villa.”
