Overview

• Emery's relaxed demeanor on the sideline, often with hands in pockets or arms folded, signals a sense of trust in his Aston Villa players and a comfort in their performance, key to the recent 4-0 victory against AZ Alkmaar.
• Leon Bailey stood out, consistently receiving instructions from Emery on the pitch, his execution of an instructed inside run led to the game's first goal.
• Improvements could be seen in the team's preparation compared to previous matches, acknowledged by the players themselves, which enhanced their performance and demonstrated learning from past oversights.
• Emery's tactical placement of Youri Tielemans to move into Boubacar Kamara’s vacated space created a successful dynamic within the team and resulted in the second goal, an indication of Emery’s strategic coaching strengths.
• Despite a late goal conceded, the team's overall defensive and offensive performance remained strong, showing their potential as serious competitors in the competition.