Aston Villa dressing room will be in mutiny after Unai Emery crossed the line - BBC pundit
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(Credit Match of the Day / imago)
Aasif Rahman
Mon 22 September 2025 9:37, UK
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been warned he could lose the dressing room after he crossed the line and slammed his players following the side’s latest draw to Sunderland.
Emery’s side have faced a dismal start to their season, as their winless run stretches on after a 1-1 draw against the Black Cats at the weekend.
Sunderland had Reinaldo sent off, but their performance didn’t seem like one man short.
They pulled it back to 1-1 late in the game after Matty Cash had opened the scoring with Villa’s first league goal of the season.
Players such as Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers faced criticism for their performances, but it was Emery’s post-match verdict that sparked a strong reaction from former Villa goalkeeper Shay Given.
After the full-time whistle at the Stadium of Light, Emery did not hold back in his post-match press conference, accusing his players of being “lazy.”
He said: “When we are playing here, we have to fight in the duels and we were not fighting in all duels.
I watched the goal we conceded and we were lazy” [Sky Sports].
Speaking on Match of the Day [21 September], former Villa player Given gave his verdict and highlighted the “risk” the manager faces and the potential consequences.
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He said: “After the game, it was worrying that Unai Emery called his players lazy.
I think that’s a risk when you call out your players in public.
But when you say it in the press, players can take that the wrong way”.
This comes after Football Insider revealed several Aston Villa players are “unhappy” after the side’s poor start to the campaign, with plenty linked with exits in the summer.
Not only have the side failed to win in the league so far, but Villa were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup, adding further pressure to Emery’s position.
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Despite the Spanish manager having credit in the bank for his time at the club, Football Insider reported Villa may be forced to sack Emery.
Villa’s financial situation had raised issues behind the scenes with a quiet summer window, but it appears that this may be affecting performances on the pitch.
While it’s understood he is not under any immediate pressure, Emery could find himself in trouble at Villa if form fails to improve, leaving the board with a difficult decision to make.