Unai Emery’s genius Aston Villa move instantly paid off against Burnley
Unai Emery is widely regarded as one of the best managers in the Premier League and a tactical tweak he made in Aston Villa’s clash with Burnley instantly paid off.
Villa beat Scott Parker’s side 2-1 at Villa Park, staving off a late fightback from the visitors to secure all three points.
The Midlands giants came into the contest off the back of three consecutive wins in all competitions, the most recent being Villa’s 2-0 triumph over Feyenoord in the Europa League.
It was a horrific start to the campaign for Emery’s side, but in recent weeks performances and results have improved.
Unai Emery rewarded for clever Donyell Malen switch
Aston Villa usually set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with three players in behind lone striker Ollie Watkins, but going up against Burnley’s five-at-the-back, Emery decided to tweak his tactics slightly.
Villa opted for a 4-4-2, with Watkins and Donyell Malen up front, and the system change had a massive impact.
The Spaniard brought in Malen, who was impressive off the bench against Feyenoord, for Evann Guessand, but instead of playing on the wing, the Dutch forward was effectively a second striker.
Midway through the first half with the score still at 0-0, Boubacar Kamara slipped Malen through on goal, and the 26-year-old made no mistake with the finish.
In the 63rd minute the Dutchman then doubled his personal tally for the day, as well as Villa’s lead, this time being played in by Morgan Rogers before firing beyond Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goal.
Ollie Watkins helped out by Malen
Watkins has struggled for Aston Villa this season, but with Malen alongside him, the England international found himself less isolated than he has been recently.
The pair were able to link up well, creating a number of chances for the Midlands side throughout the contest.
Speaking live on Sky Sports Football, former Arsenal striker Alan Smith commented on the change, saying: “Malen is playing more centrally than he has done in the past. Ollie Watkins is getting a bit more help with someone closer to him.”
So far this season, Watkins has averaged 20.98 touches per 90, often failing to make a real impact on proceedings.
Against Burnley, despite being brought off in the 67th minute, he touched the ball 27 times, as well as managing two shots on goal.