Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho joined Aston Villa in the summer transfer window but has yet to score for the club
Jadon Sancho during an Aston Villa match
Jadon Sancho has struggled since his loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa in the summer
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(Image: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery insists he is determined to get the best out of Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho after a difficult start to life in the West Midlands. Sancho was one of the so-called 'Bomb Squad' who requested to leave Old Trafford in the summer transfer window.
Eventually, the Reds managed to agree a season-long loan move to Villa for the former England international on deadline day. But, while Emery's men have flourished from strength-to-strength this season and sit just three points off the leaders Arsenal at the start of the weekend, Sancho has struggled.
The 25-year-old has yet to start a match in the Premier League and in 13 appearances he has failed to register a goal or an assist. On Sunday, United travel to Villa but Sancho will be ineligible to face his parent club. Before the game, Emery was asked for his thoughts on Sancho.
The former Arsenal manager said: "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. 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 [of] 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." United head into Sunday's match knowing they have a good record against Villa.
Only against Everton have United beaten an opponent more than the West Midlands club. When this was put to Emery, the Spaniard insisted it was not something being discussed internally.
"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," Emery concluded.
"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."