Jadon Sancho is yet to find his best form at Aston Villa, but Unai Emery is willing to stick with the winger
Aston Villa loanee Jadon Sancho
Aston Villa loanee Jadon Sancho(Image: Getty Images)
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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists he remains a firm believer in Jadon Sancho’s ability and is determined to get the best out of the winger during the second half of the season.
Sancho, who is on loan from Manchester United and is therefore ineligible to face his parent club this weekend, is yet to start a Premier League match under Emery and has not scored since joining Villa on deadline day.
The 25-year-old has, however, started Villa’s last four Europa League fixtures, although he is still yet to register an assist for the club.
Sancho has shown flashes of his quality from the bench, most notably against Arsenal a fortnight ago, when he kept the ball alive in the build-up to Emi Buendía’s late winner.
With the January transfer window approaching, there has been speculation that Villa could look to free up space in their squad by cutting Sancho’s loan short. However, Emery made his stance on the winger clear during his pre-United press conference.
“Jadon is still being young. He has had an amazing career and is now in a moment where he needs help to recover his best performance,” the Villa boss said.
“I have this challenge with him. He has this challenge with me as well. Of course, he is not playing all the minutes I think he has to.
“But in the second part of the season, I believe in him. He is really being demanding himself to try to get his best moment this season with us.
“Of course, on Sunday we are finishing December and then starting January soon. The first match back he will play is against Chelsea.
“He has that challenge with me and himself, and with the club as well. I believe in him and hopefully we can get it.”
Villa head into their clash with United having won 15 of their last 17 matches, including nine consecutive victories, six of which have come in the league - a new club record.
United, however, have a strong historical record against Villa, winning 41 Premier League games against them, 18 of those on the road. Only the Red Devils themselves have beaten a single opponent more often, both overall and away, with 42 wins overall and 19 away victories against Everton.
Asked if he has spoken about Villa’s dire record against United with his players, Emery said: “I like usually to share with the players the numbers we have. Our own numbers and also Aston Villa’s numbers, also with the trophies they got in the past.
“The players can analyse better, sometimes - not the moment we are in now - but how is the history for the team. Those numbers really mean a lot. We are facing on Sunday Manchester United … and it is Manchester United!
“We must be motivated how we are now and how we are setting our objectives. We are third, but the reality is that we were at the bottom at the beginning.
“We are competing to be consistent in Europe and at the end of the season to try to get into a European position and also get trophies in different competitions.
“To be consistent and in the demands we are now, setting these demands every day higher, this is the way and the motivation we have.
“How we can achieve three points on Sunday? This is our motivation. Of course, we connect with our supporters at Villa Park fantastically, and the connection is the best quality we can have.
“There are lot things, individually and collectively, that give us confidence and motivation to help us get it again.”
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