Unai Emery calls out Harvey Elliott in 'lazy' Aston Villa rant - 'He needs to understand'
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Unai Emery singled out Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott for criticism in the wake of Aston Villa’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland on Sunday.
The result continued Villa’s woeful start to the new campaign and it is yet to win a single match this season.
“For example, Harvey Elliott, a little bit he was getting the ball and so quick doing passes behind the defence without options.
“He needs to understand, ‘Okay, Harvey, you have skills to play more passes, more passes, more passes, and then to do the pass behind, outside or inside,’ in better positions to get something more.
“Then, as well, we were lazy, sometimes defensively lazy.
Elliott has played three times for Villa since his deadline-day move.
Pushed on what he meant by lazy, a comment that didn’t seem to be directed at Elliott, Emery added: “Ah, lazy — sometimes lazy when we are playing here away, we have to fight the duels, and we were not fighting all duels.
“I watched the goal we conceded, and we were lazy
Elliott bid an emotional farewell to Liverpool fans after his move to Villa was confirmed
The draw at Sunderland was Elliott’s third Villa appearance since he joined from Liverpool on transfer deadline day.
The boyhood Red sent an emotional message when he departed the club on an initial loan deal that includes an obligation to buy next summer for £35million ($47M).
“The love I have for Liverpool is still going to be there forever, that's not going to change, I'm still going to be watching and looking out for them from afar,” Elliott said in a recent interview.
“I'm wishing them all the very best, but sometimes in football you need to be selfish