April 4th 2024.
In Wednesday's match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Aston Villa suffered a 4-1 defeat. Despite the loss, manager Unai Emery stands by his decision to rotate his line-up heavily. He anticipates the return of goalkeeper Emi Martinez for their upcoming weekend game.
Initially, Emery made five changes from the team that had triumphed over Wolves on Saturday. However, he was forced to make a late adjustment as backup keeper Robin Olsen stepped in for the ill Martinez. Despite City dominating the match with 25 shots, Villa put up a strong fight in the first half. In the end, a hat-trick from Phil Foden secured a resounding victory for the home team.
As City vies for the Premier League title alongside Arsenal and Liverpool, Emery's decision to rotate his squad raised some eyebrows. However, he firmly believed that the team he put out was capable of winning the match. When asked if the absence of Martinez was a major issue, Emery assured that Olsen played well and made some crucial saves.
Emery also explained the reasoning behind his heavy rotation, citing the need to rest and preserve players due to injuries and a busy schedule. With another game coming up on Saturday against Brentford and a Europa Conference League match against Lille, he saw it as an opportunity to give some players a chance to shine and gain confidence.
Despite Olsen's impressive performance, conceding four goals was a disappointment for the team. However, Emery acknowledged that City was simply the better team on the day. He also revealed that the six changes made to the line-up did have an impact on their gameplan, but they were necessary to manage the team's injuries and suspensions.
Emery further elaborated on the team's injury concerns, stating that Martinez was not feeling well before the match and is expected to recover in time for Saturday's game. He also mentioned that forward Ollie Watkins' condition will be assessed before making a decision on his availability for the weekend. In the end, Emery remains optimistic and focused on the upcoming games, despite the setback against City.
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