Aston Villa's manager, Unai Emery, aims to transform Villa Park into a stronghold as his team secured their third consecutive home victory with a 2-1 win against Burnley. Donyell Malen opened the scoring
with a precise finish after being set up by Boubacar Kamara. Malen then doubled the lead in the second half with a powerful half-volley. Despite their control, Leslie Ugochukwu scored for Burnley, but Villa held on to secure their fourth consecutive win across all competitions.
Villa has remained unbeaten in their last 30 Premier League home games when scoring first. Only Liverpool and Manchester United have longer streaks in the top flight. Emery hopes this home form will be the foundation for another successful season after a challenging start. Speaking to Sky Sports, Emery said: "Here in Villa Park we have to make it a fortress, we have to compete and we are finishing before the international break in good balance. "
Emery expressed satisfaction with players returning from injury and anticipates more will be available after the international break. "We recover [from injury] Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana," he noted. Lamare Bogarde is adapting well to team demands, and Emery hopes for continued improvement and more player additions.
Malen's performance was praised by Emery, marking his first brace since February 2024 with Borussia Dortmund against Freiburg. In his 21st Premier League appearance, Malen has now scored three goals in four starts, including one against Nottingham Forest at Villa Park last April. "We settled him a little bit with some technical balance," said Emery.
Burnley's manager Scott Parker acknowledged his team's naivety as they remain winless in five Premier League matches, sitting 18th in the table before the international break. The Clarets have lost all four away games this season, conceding 13 goals—only surpassed by their 2009-10 campaign where they conceded 14.
Parker admitted that Burnley's young side needs improvement, especially defensively. "It's another brand new team; it is a brand new defensive line," he said. Malen's first goal exposed Burnley's high defensive line through Kamara's long pass. Parker emphasized the need for focus: "If you switch off for one second here you get punished. "
Despite frustrations over missed opportunities and defensive lapses, Parker remains committed to improving his team’s performance. He stated that understanding challenges is crucial and that they will strive to enhance certain areas of play.
Emery concluded by expressing gratitude towards supporters and looking forward to resting during the two-week break before resuming league action with renewed motivation for the season ahead.
