Unai Emery calls on his team to strive for their best performance before heading to Crystal Palace away from home.

2026-01-07 01:03

Another crucial match in the 21st round of the 2025/26 Premier League season will take place, with Aston Villa traveling to Selhurst Park to challenge the formidable Crystal Palace. Emery stated in a press conference that Crystal Palace is a confident and composed opponent, and therefore urged his players to strive for their best performance.

Aston Villa defeated Nottingham Forest 3-1 in their last key match, thanks to a goal from Watkins and a brace from McGinn. With four wins and one draw in their last five games, Aston Villa currently sit third in the league table with 42 points, six points behind leaders Arsenal.

Crystal Palace, the "Eagles," lost 0-2 to Newcastle in their last match and are currently 14th in the standings with 27 points. In head-to-head records, Aston Villa have a record of 1 draw and 4 losses in their last 5 encounters with Crystal Palace.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said at a press conference, "This is a team that always plays very well against us. Overall, they have performed exceptionally well. They won a trophy last season and have a very solid structure. Their tactical system is excellent, both in terms of their performance and the confidence and composure they show against any opponent."

“They have played very well against us and have beaten us before. This will be a challenge. We are in good form right now, but we are also aware of the level of difficulty in this game. We will face this test, and while respecting our opponents, the coach, and the players, we will show our own style and strive to play our best.”

Furthermore, Emery pointed out, "We will use the existing players and make adjustments as the competition progresses, because this is a team that we usually need to adapt to. They are very solid in terms of tactical structure, with excellent individual player abilities, reasonable positioning, and a very distinctive style."

“We must adapt and engage in the competition. First, we need to consider how to limit our opponents, then we need to think about how to control the game, and make adjustments to our structure and formation to exert our influence. From a personal perspective, the confrontation in tomorrow's game will be crucial.”