Expert: Unai Emery has dressing room issues at Aston Villa, three star players are 'unhappy'
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(Credit: Hasan KArim, Breaking Media)
Callum O'Connell
Mon 22 September 2025 12:26, UK
Unai Emery is facing “major concerns” behind the scenes at Aston Villa following their dismal start to the season, according to the club’s former senior scout.
Mick Brown, who also worked as the chief scout at Man United and Sunderland and remains very well-connected at his former clubs, exclusively told Football Insider that serious questions are now being asked of the manager’s position.
Emery’s side are winless after six games in all competitions following Aston Villa’s 1-1 draw with ten-man Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 21 September.
As a result, Brown told Football Insider on 16 September that Aston Villa may be forced to sack Emery as they will be left with no choice if their poor form continues.
Ongoing speculation about unrest behind the scenes has also emerged as a cause for concern, with a number of players said to be unhappy behind the scenes including Emiliano Martinez, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins.
Credit: Imago
Brown told Football Insider on 4 September that Emery is under growing pressure at Aston Villa after a “disastrous” start to the season so far.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience working closely alongside elite-level managers including Sir Alex Ferguson and Ron Atkinson at Man United, insisted the uncertainty at Villa Park is to blame for their slow start to the season.
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“If you’re six games into the season and haven’t won, questions will be asked,” he told Football Insider.
“There are too many issues in the background at Aston Villa, they didn’t start the season in the best shape with all sorts of speculation about the players.
“I’m talking about the goalkeeper (Martinez), the captain (McGinn), the striker (Watkins), the loan players being unhappy and leaving, there was so much uncertainty which is never good for anybody.
Credit: Imago
“It’s a major concern for the manager because if the players’ heads aren’t in the right place, it’s very hard to start picking up results, and then it’s a vicious cycle.
“All of a sudden, you’ve gone seven, eight, nine games without winning and the finger is only going to be pointed in one direction, and that’s at Emery.”
Questions about a number of key players’ futures including the likes of Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins has not aided the morale behind the scenes.
Brown told Football Insider on 20 September that there is unrest amongst Aston Villa’s star players with multiple influential stars left “unhappy” after a turbulent summer.
Meanwhile, Shay Given warned Emery could lose the Aston Villa dressing room after he branded his players “lazy” following their 1-1 draw against Sunderland.
The boss 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]
The boss was also spotted walking down the tunnel with play still ongoing during the draw at the Stadium of Light, having lost hope in securing all three points.
As a result, questions are being asked about the manager’s position and whether the players have turned on him behind the scenes at Villa Park.
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