Factfile
- Manager: Unai Emery
- Nickname: The Villans
- Ground: Villa Park
- Founded: 1874 (151 years ago)
In their manager’s words...
In his press conference previewing the game, Villa manager Unai Emery said he expected a tough evening against a Palace team who went unbeaten in the four meetings between the two sides last season.
"The challenge with Crystal Palace is even more, because last year we couldn’t beat them, and of course because they are performing fantastic," he told the media.
“They are competing fantastic, the coach is really a very good coach. They have very good players, even they are selling players – Olise two years ago, now recently, Ebere Eze – but they are still competing very well, and still playing in their structure so, so strong.
“They are not winning matches, but they are competing very well, and of course, on Sunday for us, it’s going to be very, very difficult.
“My expectation is again when we are with the ball they are going to push up, they are going to get a lot of man to man.
“They are very, very dangerous in transition. We have to stop the transition. We have to try to dominate, but being well organised always with the ball, even without the ball.
“This is the match we are going to watch on Sunday, and how we can perform knowing them. We have to try to change the result we didn’t achieve last year.”
