Ahead of Aston Villa’s trip to Man City in midweek, Unai Emery appears set to hand Jhon Duran and Nicolo Zaniolo a big chance to make their mark.
With Ollie Watkins ruled out due to injury, and the ongoing absence of Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia, Emery – to an extent – has been forced into changes.
READ MORE: Villa team news vs Man City: Watkins, Jacob Ramsey updates
Importantly though, the attacking duo have earned their opportunity too with their impact off the bench in recent weeks, and they appear to be building momentum and finding consistency as part their respective adaptation processes.
It’s unclear at this stage if both or either will absolutely start, but the indications from the Villa boss as well as the limited options available to him would suggest that Zaniolo and Duran will play a pivotal part in our trip to the Etihad on Wednesday night.
Dubbed the ‘agents of chaos’ by some given their enigmatic and eccentric personalities both on and off the pitch, the idea of seeing them both start in a crunch showdown like this adds real intrigue to an already fascinating encounter.
For Zaniolo, it’s been a difficult campaign. With just three goals and no assists in 32 appearances across all competitions, the Italian playmaker hasn’t had the impact that was expected given the excitement and optimism surrounding his loan signing last summer.
However, Emery has seen a change in him in recent months, and this is the second time in a matter of days that the Villa boss has praised him for the impact he’s starting to have when given a chance.
“I am very happy with him,” Emery said, as per VillaTV. “Now is his moment because at the beginning of the season it was very difficult for him. The adaptation was tough, some individual circumstances were really difficult for him.
“We were here always to try and support him. His performances as well when he was playing, helping our way and in our structure we are building was not being like he was expecting or we were expecting.
“The last two months, something has changed of him. He is getting better for us. The last matches he is playing more, getting better performances as well.
“Now, we will need him and hopefully he can keep the same performances and the same ambition he is showing us. He is really wishing now to help the team and hopefully this won’t stop until the end of the season.
“I told him, ‘Nicolo, even if you are playing with us next year, even if you are going back to Galatasaray, even if you are back in Italy, I want the best of you and only I want good attitude you are showing now’.”
Not only do those comments offer reassurance in terms of Zaniolo’s attitude and character, but it’s another brilliant bit of insight into Emery’s man-management and how he gets the best out of his players.
Despite his struggles to find top form, the 24-year-old has the backing of his coach, and regardless of where his future lies beyond this season, Emery wants him to succeed and do well.
Ideally, in the short-term future though, Zaniolo is able to play an influential role in ensuring that we enjoy a successful end to the season both in the Europa Conference League and in terms of our Champions League qualification ambitions.
Meanwhile, Emery also spoke on Duran in his pre-match press conference, and the message was similar in that although the Colombian forward continues to adapt and patience was required, the Villa boss is confident that we’re going to see him take that next step when he’s needed most.
“He is young, he has a big potential,” Emery added on Duran. “He will need to get practice and practice in the training ground to get minutes in matches. He had an injury before when he was more or less playing and getting better, two or three months ago.
“He has recovered his good fitness and without Watkins tomorrow, he will have again the opportunity to get minutes, confidence and skills which he has. We need to support his quality in the structure we have.
“It is very important to be organised, each player showing their skill and wishes to play and to win. I think this is his moment as well to get of him the best.”
Despite being hit with significant injury setbacks this season, Villa have shown resilience and strength in depth to remain as competitive as we have been, and that is a testament to the players and the coaching staff to ensure we’re as well prepared as we can possibly be.
Now, it’s time for both Zaniolo and Duran to play their part, whether that’s in the starting line-up or off the bench in midweek, and it’s an exciting prospect to see what they can bring to the Villa XI, while proving that they can be effective pieces in the overall structure and control that Emery desires to see from the collective.
