Emery: Aston Villa still building squad after heavy defeat to Brighton

Published Aug 23, 04:41 PM UTC

Aston Villa suffered a 0-4 away loss to Brighton in the opening round of the new Premier League season, with Joao Gomes sent off in the first half. Manager Unai Emery acknowledged the team made consecutive mistakes over a 20-25 minute period, which Brighton converted into goals. Despite the heavy first-half deficit, Emery praised his players' second-half response while playing with ten men, noting they maintained composure and focus. He emphasized that the squad is still under construction, with the transfer window ongoing, and that similar challenges have been overcome in previous seasons. Villa's next match is a home fixture against Arsenal at Villa Park, where Emery hopes the team will feel stronger and more confident. He stressed the importance of using the week for tactical training to avoid repeating errors.