Unai Emery says Donyell Malen is available to make his Aston Villa debut against Arsenal.
Malen sealed a switch to Villa Park earlier this week for a reported £21million and has been training with his new team-mates this week.
The versatile Dutch forward, who can operate in all three positions behind the striker, provides Emery’s men with an extra boost in attack as they contiunue to challenge in the Premier League and Champions League.
Emery said: “He’s usually playing as a number seven and sometimes as a number 11 on the left side, while he can also play as a number ten.
“In the attacking third, he’s always close to getting into the opponent’s box to score goals and get assists. We will need a player like him trying to threaten the opponent in behind.”
📰 Table Of Contents
Villa turning a corner
Villa ended a run of five consecutive away defeats with a 1-0 win over Everton on Wednesday courtesy of Ollie Watkins’ winner at Goodison Park, while they have also kicked off the year with three straight wins.
Emery added: “We can feel a little bit of confidence after we won in Everton, but the challenge tomorrow is to be competitive. Through being competitive, we can be close to taking a good result.
“Arsenal tomorrow will be very, very difficult. Every match we are facing is being very, very difficult – in Everton as well.
“We are preparing the match, we are very motivated and we’re going to try to play, improving things we did in Everton and improving things we did away in the last matches against top teams in the Premier League.
“Tomorrow we play one of the candidates and favourites to win the Premier League.”
Unai Emery: “We can feel a little bit of confidence after we won in Everton, but the challenge tomorrow is again to try and be competitive. Through being competitive, we can be close to taking a good result.” pic.twitter.com/uwdGUgXMWv
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 17, 2025
Emirates return
Emery returns to the Emirates on Saturday for the first time since the former Arsenal manager’s side ended the Gunners’ title hopes with a 2-0 victory in April last year.
“This is different circumstances [to Villa’s win against Arsenal last season]. That moment was a very special circumstance for them and for us because they were very involved in the Champions League against Bayern Munich and we were as well in the Conference League.
“We competed very well in that moment in 90 minutes and we won, but it was very difficult. This year it’s different circumstances. There aren’t many things similar to last year, it’s going to be different and we have to try to play, competing with the idea we have.
“We have to build the team like we are doing and try to get confidence and good feelings. Individual players need to feel confident, and this is the match we have tomorrow.”
Villa injury news
Updating on Villa’s injury news, Emery said: “Pau Torres is out and not available, John McGinn is training on the field but not [ready for] tomorrow.
“Ross Barkley is still out. Diego Carlos in the medical report is not feeling good and I think he won’t be [involved] tomorrow.”
