Emery wary of Palace’s tactical strength ahead of crucial clash

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery expressed both excitement and caution ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Emery highlighted the match as a crucial test for his squad’s tactical and individual abilities.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery heads into Tuesday’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace with a mixture of expectation and respect for his opponents.

“Today is a really good test and I am excited. I want to see how we are responding collectively and individually and how we can as well, more or less, impose our game plan,” Emery claimed in his pre-match press conference.

The Spanish tactician’s statement underlines the importance of the game for Villa, who are looking to build on their recent 2-1 win over Chelsea.

Emery quickly acknowledged Crystal Palace’s tactical difficulties, saying, “Tactically it is difficult to stop them, because their structure is so so strong.”

The Villa manager commended the individual attributes of the Eagles’ team, demonstrating that his admiration for Palace goes beyond their tactical arrangement.

“They have strong players getting a lot of duels and winning duels and their goalkeeper as well is playing fantastic. I respect them a lot,” Emery added, highlighting the comprehensive threat posed by Oliver Glasner’s side.