How’s Thomas Partey?
We have to assess him today again. He had some discomfort, a little muscle discomfort. We have to assess him this morning and see how he is.
Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus?
Emile is training today, if he’s fine he’ll be in the squad. Gabi is still not there.
How much of a challenge is it now you’re not top?
That’s the opportunity. We talked about the position we’re in for a few months now, the way the team is playing and the things you have to do to stay there. We know where the level is we want to be in the that level and there were a lot of positives to take from that game for sure.
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Do you look at the City game and think 'I know my players can match them'?
I’ve seen it with my eyes in two games. But the level of efficiency has to be extremely good in every ball to beat them at the end. We’re in that journey, we want to be there at the end. I repeat myself that the team is highly motivated. In case they didn’t see it I showed them yesterday.
Is Champions League the minimum?
The minimum is that today they train exceptionally well.
Was it a case of City being good, or individual errors?
You have to give credit to a team when they beat you. But for sure when you analyse it again I think we lost it.
There was an incident with De Bruyne and the fans. What’s your message to the fans?
The fans were extraordinary in the game the way they supported the team. There was an incident that no one is going to tolerate inside the stadium and the club is investigating that issue.
Is it an overreaction to the poor results in your recent run?
It’s normal. You want to get maximum points and we didn’t in the last three games. We have to look at ourselves, we have to be more efficient. For the play we have generated we haven’t generated enough points and that’s down to us because we want to win more games.
It’s a quick turnaround, but is it a good thing just to get back on the pitch?
That’s what we want to do. They put the schedule the way they did. It’s a bit unusual, but it’s what it is. The players are highly motivated for tomorrow’s game because we want to perform well and win the game.
How well do you know Unai Emery?
He will always put a difficult test. A very good manager. Huge respect for him everywhere he’s been and the success that he’s had. Huge respect for him.
You said the team were highly motivated. What makes you say that?
They realised on the pitch and the players feel on the pitch, and when they’re coming against the best team this team has had in decades and how they played against them. So I sense a lot of belief. They were hugely disappointed not to get the result, but not that long ago we were looking at them and saying ‘we are so far’, now we’re closer, but we weren’t close enough because they’re much more efficient than us.
How far are you from closing that gap?
In terms of points I don’t know. The feeling I had on the pitch is in many situation we matched them, but in the boxes they were better than us.
You said after the game that you had more belief in your players. Why was that?
That when it comes to a stage like it did the other day against a team that I know pretty well, and the players able to produce what we’re able to produce it gives me a lot of belief that we’re going in the right direction.
How has Jorginho been?
He’s really good. He’s come in to the team and earned the respect of everybody. You see his leadership and his impact he’s had on the team. I think he had a really good game.
Have you seen enough from Trossard to suggest he could start?
He’s had an impact every time he’s been on the pitch so he’s an option.
You mentioned the unusual nature of the kick-off time. Is it an annoyance that you play Wednesday night and then 12:30 on Saturday?
It is what it is. We play tomorrow with full energy.
No worry for you?
No worry, we have to play. I want the players to be in the best possible mindset and physically ready to get that challenge going.
Can they be physically at their best after playing Man City on Wednesday night?
They are young! They have a lot of energy.
Any concern that the pressure of a title race can take its toll on a squad that’s never been there before?
If you want to be at the top, you have to do it. Looking at what they (the players) did the other day gives me a lot of encouragement to think that they are ready.
Is this an opportunity to rotate?
Every week we consider the best possible option for players. Where they are in terms of performances, mentally and physically. Tomorrow we’ll do it again.
You’ve had more possession than teams in the last three games but they have played longer balls. Is that a tactic you’ve noticed and is it a complement to how you’ve been playing?
Yeah, sometimes it’s a gameplan from the opponents, sometimes the opponent has a completely different gameplan but they have to adapt during the game. Possession is very important depending on where it is and what you produce with it. Certainly we are a team that wants to have the ball and dominate games.
Are you happy to carry on playing from the back after Wednesday?
In the right areas, against the right players pressing, yes. If not, no.
Is the pressure off this weekend?
I want to have as many points as possible as early as possible. It’s not about looking at the table, it’s about performing every single day and winning matches. What you’ve done so far doesn’t matter. At the end of May you’re going to have to have a certain amount of points to win it.
Was Villa Park a happy hunting ground for you during your playing career?
Villa Park is a very difficult place to win, that’s for sure.
You’ve struggled against low blocks against Brentford and Everton. Do you worry other teams have figured you out?
How many low blocks have we faced this season?
What will you try to do this time differently against one?
Sixteen low blocks we have faced this season. We have won a lot of those games. We have merited at the end to win most of those games. Then it’s about efficiency. When they block everything and the ball doesn’t go in the net, it’s great [for them]. If you win 2-0, then you attacked the low block really well. [There will] always be assessment there, there are always things we have to improve and our efficiency in the box hasn’t been as good as when we were winning football matches. Tomorrow it will have to be really high to beat them.
Watched the game back? What was the reaction in the room?
More clarity, just in case they (the players) had any doubts.
Do you feel they’re more motivated?
Yes, I think so.
How important are Zinchenko, Jesus and Jorginho in stepping up?
You need players with those experiences that can guide and give reassurances and show them (the young players) the path of how it gets done. That’s what we’re talking about. If you want to win a league, you have to dig deep. Sometimes you’re going to lose one or two matches, sometimes you’re going to merit a win, sometimes you’re going to have to win it in the 96th minute, sometimes you have to play with 10 men. You have to play in many different contexts.
Did you always think there was going to be a moment where you’d have to suffer?
I can’t show you now, but I can show you in pre-season because that moment was coming.
On scheduling. Generally is it something the Premier League should look at? A team playing Wednesday night and Saturday lunch time?
There are certain rules with the Champions League. If you play on a Wednesday night, you cannot play [on Saturday lunchtime] so I think that should apply to any competition.
Something that’s been discussed in Premier League managers meetings?
Yeah, that’s why one of the changes was made - towards the Champions League teams especially. Following the same principle, physiologically it’s very difficult to turnaround on that pitch to get the best outcome and reduce injury risk for the players.
Have to make changes tomorrow?
We knew we were going to play at that time. That’s not an excuse.
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