Unai Emery drops exciting Aston Villa hint ahead of Man United clash
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran has scored six goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season
by John Townley, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/authors/john-townley/ · Birmingham LiveUnai Emery believes Jhon Duran is now ready to start games with Ollie Watkins following the 20-year-old's electric start to the season as a super-sub.
Duran has scored four goals in six substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, averaging a goal every 43 minutes at Villa Park in the Premier League, which is the second-best ratio by a player at a single venue (250+ minutes played there), behind Luis Suarez at Carrow Road.
The striker also came off the bench in midweek to score the winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League as he lobbed Manuel Neuer nine minutes after his introduction. Ahead of Villa's clash with Manchester United, Emery suggested that Duran is now ready to play from the off, but only if playing two strikers fit in his tactical structure.
READ | Unai Emery masterstroke has unlocked huge Aston Villa transfer reward
"Firstly, it is his commitment to train and to be available and 100 per cent in his mind to play to make the same impact he has been doing," Emery said of Duran on Sky Sports. "That is the first objective for him.
"Secondly, it is about how we can manage different moments in our competitions. Of course, he has had a very good impact and he can play in the starting XI, but I am managing the best tactical way each match playing with Watkins and then with him, sometimes together.
"Of course, he is going to play in the starting XI soon and as well he can play with Watkins because I think now their preparation to play together keeping our same style and demands, now I think they are ready.
"I have to think and to stop myself to take 10 minutes to manage the different possibilities with them [forward options]."
Emery added: "We have to get the balance tactically through individual players to feel strong in the game. Of course, we can do it with two strikers, but also manage our positions defensively.
"You have to be strong when you’re recovering balls and now they are adding goalkeepers as one player more in build-up. This process as a team I am analysing how we can improve. There are coming more difficulties in our process."
Should Jhon Duran start against Man Utd? Tell us HERE
Join our new Aston Villa WhatsApp community
BirminghamLive has launched its very own WhatsApp community to give you the opportunity to receive the latest Aston Villa news straight to your messages.
We will be sending the latest breaking news and top Villa stories directly to the WhatsApp community and we want you to be part of it. Users who want to join our community must have WhatsApp downloaded on their phone.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you joined the previous WhatsApp Community, make to sure to sign-up to our new one as they previous page experienced a technical error.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group'.
You can read our Privacy Notice here.