What Unai Said: After Brighton 4-0 Loss
Aston Villa were beaten 4-0 by Brighton in the Premier League, with four first-half goals and a red card from Joao Gomes turning an already difficult afternoon for his striker-less team into a nightmare start to the 2026/27 season. Unai Emery spoke afterwards about AWOL Ollie Watkins, the collapse, the sending-off, what needs to change before Arsenal visit Villa Park next Monday, as well as providing an injury update on his strikers.
“The only good news for me was how the players responded in the second half.”
– Unai Emery
On the collapse
“Tough match, tough 20-25 minutes. Mistakes, and again we are building the team, and building the team, we can make some mistakes.
“Today we were so, so unlucky, because each mistake we made, they were scoring. We conceded four goals in the first half – it was a crazy moment.”
“We started good in the first 10-15 minutes. When we made the first mistake, they scored and then we lost our balance emotionally and we conceded three more goals. It was a tough moment and with the red card was more difficult.”
On Joao Gomes’ red card
“Maybe the first yellow card was not fair, but OK. We must accept.”
On the second-half response
“The second half, I think the players responded fantastic. We tried to get a new plan in the dressing room, playing the second half like we did without one player, and as well, trying to be always not losing our mind, being as well focused in our gameplan and trying to avoid conceding more goals or chances like we did.
“And then, try to play, building the team, building our structure, building individually and collectively how we want to build the new team for this year.”
“The only good news for me was how the players responded in the second half.”
On Ollie Watkins not starting
“This question is for him. You can call him and try to get his answer. The players here wanted to play and we had two strikers with a small injury. The question on Watkins is for him.”
On the striker injuries
“Manzambi is starting to work on the field and maybe he will need two weeks more to join us, more or less.
“Madjo has a small injury and I think he can get progressively better and start training with us as well, but he may need some days more.
“Tammy Abraham as well, he has a small injury and he is going to join us again. Hopefully we have strikers ready to play soon, but this can happen.”
On facing Arsenal next
“Of course, we have some circumstances, they are not helping us, but those circumstances we had before as well, last year, two years ago, three years ago, and always, we overcame it.
“And this is now the new objective as well; try to finish the transfer window and start with the players we will have, of course working hard and preparing for the challenges we will have this year.
“Of course, in Premier League, 38 matches, each point is very important, but today we lost three, and now the next match is next Monday against Arsenal at home.
“Hopefully, in Villa Park, we can feel stronger and more comfortable and more confident with the players and with the tactical work we will do this week, and then, trying to avoid the mistakes we made today, and work for it.”
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