Villa miss chance to go second; manager not looking to the transfer market despite injuries to squad
Unai Emery was left frustrated and disappointed after his side failed to capitalise on Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, themselves earning a worse result with a 1-0 defeat by Everton at Villa Park.
Victory at home would have brought Emery’s side four points within reach of Arsenal at the top, but instead, Thierno Barry’s goal on the hour mark was the vital difference as the Toffees claimed three points to leave Villa third in the table and level on points with Manchester City, but seven points from Arsenal. Emery struck an upbeat tone as he reacted to the defeat.
“We are doing a fantastic season,” said Villa’s coach. “When we played at Everton [in September], we drew and we were worse than now.
“Of course, today we lost a very good opportunity and we are in front of other teams who are competing to be in the position we are. We lost the opportunity to be second in the league, something really fantastic. But after feeling our frustration at losing this match, we must try and recover our good, positive way.
“Football is to win, to lose, or to draw. When you are losing you are sad, like we are now, when you are winning you are happy but mostly we have had more time happy than sad.”
Captain John McGinn was forced off with an injury after only 18 minutes played, joining Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley on the sidelines, but Emery won’t be seeking to replace them in the transfer market, although there may be some activity to replace Donyell Marlen, who joined Roma on loan.
“Onana and Barkley are coming back in one or two weeks,” said Emery. “We have enough players to get the performance we need. Of course we must replace some players who are leaving.
“Of course when some players are getting injured it’s not good, but it’s football and we have to accept it. It is an opportunity for another player to play.”
