Unai Emery makes Everton points deduction claim after honest VAR admission.

The manager of Aston Villa, Unai Emery, commended Everton for their response to being docked ten points, but he stated he accepted the decision of VAR to disallow his team’s goal at Goodison Park.

After a four-minute VAR investigation, Alex Moreno’s attempt that appeared to put Villa ahead was rejected for offside, resulting in the Spaniard’s first goalless draw in 97 Premier League appearances against Arsenal. “Yes, it was long because it was tight, it was 50-50,” Emery remarked. I said that you should fully accept the VAR’s decision.

“The most-important thing is that they make the right decision and if it takes a long time then we have to accept it.”

Although Emery accepted his side needed goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to bail them out at the other end when saving one-on-one against Dominic Calvert-Lewin, he believed Villa had the best of the all-round play. The 52-year-old said: “It’s not enough given where we are in the table because we prepared for the match, thinking we could win and we’re very demanding. Everything we practiced beforehand to do as well as possible over 90 minutes on the pitch, we did more or less.

“We needed our goalie, but he made a very excellent stop with a good action, and we only gave up one serious chance in the first half. We controlled the game for the entire ninety minutes and we stopped them.

“Everton came at us with a strong press and aggressiveness, but we stopped them with smart positioning, composure, and ball movement. We dictated the terms of the game, outscoring them and creating more opportunities for us to score than we would typically be able to.

We may have entered the box six times with two distinct actions to score, but we weren’t very clinical. Though I believe we should have accomplished more, I’m still pleased that we’re raising the bar, improving with time, and demanding how.

Emery added: “The thing I’m most proud of with our work today is how we didn’t concede many corners or real chances. We controlled the game and stopped their press and the crowd as well as they were pushing them.

“The first thing I want to do is play away. After that, I want to create more than my opponent, but it’s difficult, and today’s work was good.”

Emery spoke with Blues captain Sean Coleman early in the game, and he seemed to be in constant communication with his opposing number, Sean Dyche, over the decisions being made. The three-time Champions League champion, though, insists he has the highest regard for every Everton player. “I had a little disagreement with Coleman at the start of the game, but we were both requesting and demanding the ball for ourselves,” he stated. I think Sean Dyche is doing a great job, and I accept his decision to take the Premier League’s position.

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