Emery must unleash Aston Villa’s £120k-p/w “relentless creature”

Aston Villa have the chance to go eight points clear of Tottenham Hotspur today with a win

After a scoreless midweek draw with Ajax, Aston Villa has a fantastic opportunity to go to the Europa Conference League quarterfinals by winning at Villa Park on Thursday.

The match against Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, however, will be on everyone’s mind due to its significance.

Villa are currently five points clear of the north Londoners in the Premier League table and could extend this lead to eight points with a win.

Unai Emery could well make a few changes to his starting XI ahead of the blockbuster clash against Ange Postecoglou’s men, however, as they strive to achieve qualification for the Champions League next season.

Several players dropped to the bench in midweek, with captain John McGinn one who did not start the match.

John McGinn came off the bench against Ajax

Before the contest, McGinn had only failed to start one game all season, and that was in the Conference League qualifiers back in August against his former team, the Hibs.

Emery seems to be focused on this weekend’s big matchup against Spurs, which is why he benched the Scottish player.

In midweek, he did make a brief appearance, but it was ineffective as he only completed two passes and required eight touches in 27 minutes, resulting in a draw for the Midlands team.

His statistics across the season have been impressive, though, and he will almost certainly return to the starting XI ahead of the Spurs tie this afternoon.

John McGinn’s season in numbers

McGinn has made a significant contribution this season, contributing eight goals and five assists while playing either in the center of the midfield or wide on the left.

The former Hibs starlet is currently fourth in the Premier League squad for goals and assists (nine), third for big chances created (nine), fourth for crucial passes per game (1.4), and second for successful dribbles per game (1.6). These statistics highlight his excellent attacking abilities and provide Emery with another dependable option for goals in his midfield.

The £120k-per-week maestro was dubbed a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kendrick back in 2019 during his first season at Villa Park, and his enthusiasm and determined approach have made him a crowd favourite at the club.

When compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues, McGinn ranks in the top 11% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.18) and in the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.84) over the previous 365 days, which is further evidence of his attacking abilities.

The tie against Spurs could perhaps be their most important of the season so far, especially as they have the chance to cement their place in the top four with a victory.

Emery will be hoping for a repeat performance from Villa, which defeated the north London team 2-1 in November.

In the middle of the midfield, McGinn and Douglas Luiz might start together, and the two of them can terrorize the Spurs defense all game long.

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