In the build-up to Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Everton, Unai Emery emphasized set-piece defense and spoke with his players about their previous Goodison Park experiences..
Ollie Watkins continued his excellent goalscoring form in the Premier League as he fired his side ahead from the penalty spot just after the hour mark. Emiliano Buendia added a second nine minutes later as a substitute.
Sean Dyche’s side fell back into the relegation zone after the defeat, which was followed by victories for Leeds United and West Ham United. However, since taking over at Goodison Park last month, the former Burnley manager’s side has posed a dangerous threat from set-pieces.
Yes, yes, we expect a lot,” the former Arsenal manager said when asked if he had put more emphasis on defending set-pieces.
“I respect the coach and Everton as a club. Of course, I respect Goodison Park because it is difficult and the threat through set-pieces is incredible. We were dead set on stopping them, and we succeeded.”
Emery also revealed post-match that he spoke with his squad, who arrived in Merseyside after three straight defeats, about their previous Goodison Park experiences.
“Before the game, I was speaking with the players about their experiences here, and they knew it was going to be a tough, tough match,” he said.
Emery went on to comment on his team’s performance, saying: “We had to win. We had to triumph in our own way.
“We reacted very well to some difficult moments when we were trying to break the pressure. We felt better on the field after scoring the first goal..
We require the players [on the team]. Emiliano Buendia was involved in the penalty, and while we’re happy with Watkins scoring, I’d like to see more players score. We were very competitive.
“We intended to win with a clean sheet. Defensively, we were tight. We were attempting to maintain our equilibrium.”
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