Unai Emery comments show rivals no longer fear Liverpool | OneFootball

Unai Emery has sent a confident message ahead of Aston Villa’s huge clash with Liverpool on Friday night, with the Spaniard openly admitting he is “excited” to face Arne Slot’s struggling side.

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The Villa boss watched his team draw 2-2 away at Burnley on Sunday, but despite dropping points, the former Arsenal manager was full of belief about what lies ahead at Villa Park.

That confidence says plenty about the current mood surrounding Liverpool after the frustrating 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Anfield.

Emery excited to face Liverpool

Speaking via avfc.co.uk after Villa’s draw at Turf Moor, Emery made it clear he sees Friday night as a huge opportunity for his side.

The 54-year-old said: “I am so motivated, so excited for the match on Friday against Liverpool.”

The Aston Villa manager then added a line Liverpool supporters may not enjoy hearing.

“We are going to test against them as well in Villa Park, which team is – in this moment – better than the other in the table.”

Villa and Liverpool currently sit level on points heading into the game, although the Reds still hold a slight advantage in the race for Champions League qualification.

Emery repeatedly praised his side’s mentality despite their demanding Europa League schedule.

The Spaniard explained: “We deserved more, we deserved to win.”

Opponents no longer fear Liverpool

What stands out most from Emery’s comments is the lack of fear surrounding Liverpool right now.

Levi Colwill claimed Chelsea deserved all three points after Saturday’s draw at Anfield, while Ollie Watkins also warned Liverpool that Villa “always” make life difficult for us at Villa Park.

That growing confidence from opponents reflects how passive Slot’s side have become in recent months.

Liverpool controlled spells against Chelsea early on before once again retreating into a slower, reactive style that frustrated supporters inside Anfield.

The Reds still have a strong recent record at Villa Park, having lost just one of the last 11 league visits there dating back to 2011, while the last two meetings there have both ended level.

However, form and momentum currently feel more important than history.

Villa are heading into Friday’s clash energised by a Europa League final appearance and believing they can expose Liverpool’s weaknesses just like Chelsea did at Anfield.