Unai Emery said Aston Villa showed improvement in their Carabao Cup match against Brentford in west London, having taken the lead through Harvey Elliott's opener before conceding a draw in the second half of the third leg.  

Despite Brentford's victory on penalties, Unai Emery believes the performance was a sign Aston Villa are moving in a positive direction after a slow start to the league campaign.  

Unai Emery said after the game: "The team showed improvement and scored a goal, which is crucial. Although it ended in a draw, we created enough chances to win the game. I believe we should have got more because the overall performance was very good."  

"We have several new signings in our starting lineup who arrived before the transfer deadline and they still need time to build up their confidence, integrate into the team and adapt to the rhythm of the game as soon as possible."  

"The players played very well and the overall performance was satisfactory. We created opportunities in the game and still fought for victory in the last minute. In my opinion, the team's mental state is exactly what I want. I want to express my gratitude to the fans who have always spared no effort to support us. Although the result is a bit regrettable, the team has its own direction. I will continue to work hard and make the team stronger in my own way."  

"Although this game ended in defeat, I hope the team will continue to work hard, improve their condition and provide playing opportunities for players who need them. At present, we are focusing on the game strategy against Sunderland on Sunday."  

After seven starting lineup changes, deadline day signings Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho made their first starts for the team, both performing very well in attack. The team hopes to use this performance to lay a good foundation for this weekend's Premier League match against Sunderland and achieve another success.  

Unai Emery said: "Harvey Elliott showed his quality and scored a goal. The combination with John McGinn was also very smooth. We created three or four big chances throughout the game, and one even hit the post for Jadon Sancho."  

“I think the team is improving step by step. There is still some work to be done, but we will train to be ready for the game on Sunday. Given the changes to the squad structure and the new players who joined two weeks ago, we have to keep working hard and maintain the progress we showed today.”