Emery angry as Aston Villa draw 4-4 with Manchester United

'I am angry': Emery rues Villa's late collapse after Man Utd snatch dramatic draw

Manchester, Nov 9

Emery blamed the late defensive lapses for costing Villa a valuable victory but clarified that his disappointment was directed at the outcome rather than his players.

"Angry, of course. To accept to lose in the last minutes two goals, it is difficult. I am angry for the situation, not with the players. We lost the opportunity to have two points more," Emery said at the post-match press conference.

Villa appeared to have the contest under control after establishing a 2-0 lead inside the opening four minutes through Alysson and Nicolas Jackson. Although Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans brought United level before the interval, John McGinn's penalty and Leon Goretzka's effort in the second half put Emery's side back in a commanding position at 4-2.

However, Joshua Zirkzee's 92nd-minute strike revived the hosts before Dorgu completed the comeback with a header from a late corner. The visitors were unable to withstand United's final attacking surge, allowing the hosts to escape with a point despite having twice held a two-goal cushion.

Asked how Villa had allowed their opponents to engineer such a turnaround, Emery pointed to the atmosphere at Old Trafford and United's ability to draw energy from their home support during the closing stages. He also identified the difficulty his defenders faced in containing Dorgu during the decisive passage of play.

"They did the same here against Roma with the supporters pushing, they were playing with heart. The last moments when we were close to finishing the match, with Dorgu left side, we couldn't defend him good," he added.

The result was particularly frustrating for Villa, who had the opportunity to strengthen their position in the Premier League standings but instead had to settle for a single point. United's persistence, meanwhile, helped them avoid another defeat during a difficult campaign.

Emery was also asked whether he believed Manchester United's position in the relegation zone accurately reflected their quality. The Villa manager backed the struggling side to recover, highlighting the competitive nature of the Premier League and the importance of maintaining confidence during difficult spells.

"Yes, definitely. The Premier League is very difficult. You must be so, so demanding but they have the capacity, powerful players to overcome this situation.

"Of course, there are other teams performing fantastic. Last year, Tottenham and West Ham, important teams [were down there]. The year before United when they played the final of the Europa League.

"It is very demanding. You must compete, be strong, give them confidence to play with their quality. A lot of things. But of course normally Manchester United are going to improve," Emery stated.

— IANS