Emery relishing Iraola test as Villa host Bournemouth

Unai Emery is relishing the opportunity to pit his wits against Andoni Iraola, as Aston Villa prepare to host high-flying Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Bournemouth were beaten 3-1 at Manchester City last time out, but they still sit fifth in the table ahead of matchday 11, only a point off second place.

Villa, meanwhile, are 11th, having won four successive matches before losing 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield last week. Emery's side then got back to winning ways in the Europa League on Thursday, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0.

Only Chelsea (29) have had more shots on target in away Premier League matches this season than Bournemouth (24), and Emery expects the Cherries to be aggressive in and out of possession on Sunday.

"They are performing fantastically. The work he [Iraola] is doing, all the professionals there with the head coach, it's really fantastic," Emery said.

"He is always even selling players, he's building a very competitive team, competing for the top positions, European positions, and this year, they have 18 points, three more than us.

"Tactically, they are very good at everything. They are defending aggressively, they are winning duels, they are attacking in transition, but they are getting good combinations with their players and being very offensive with all the players they have."

Bournemouth saw midfielder Alex Scott called up to Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Friday, and Iraola believes his inclusion reflects well on everyone at the Vitality Stadium.

"I am pleased for him. I think he has been playing very well and, also, I suppose the good performance with the under-21s in the summer [at the Euros] has also been very valuable," Iraola said.

"I am very happy for him and happy for the club because in an English club, to have someone representing your country I think is good. Especially for him but also for the club."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Aston Villa – Emiliano Martinez

Martinez's error led to Mohamed Salah's opening goal as Villa lost 2-0 at Liverpool last weekend.

Since the Argentine joined Villa for the 2020-21 campaign, only three players have made more errors leading to Premier League goals than Martinez's seven.

Bournemouth – Adrien Truffert

Truffert has made the most overlapping runs in the Premier League this season (33), while only Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon (18) has made more underlapping runs than he has (16). 

Indeed, only Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz (106) has more off-ball runs into the attacking third among full-backs than Truffert (93).

MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN

Aston Villa have lost just one of their last 23 home Premier League matches (W14 D8), a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in August. 

Over the last two seasons, only Liverpool (58), Manchester City (54) and Arsenal (52) have more home points in the division than Villa (50).

Sunday's hosts are also unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Bournemouth (W3 D2), having lost four in a row against the Cherries before this run.

The Cherries won their first two away Premier League games against Villa, but they have since failed to win on their last three visits to Villa Park (D1 L2).

Villa have scored first in their last two home Premier League matches, winning on both occasions, against Burnley and Man City. 

They have won 83% of their league games under Emery at Villa Park when going 1-0 up (29/35), with only Graham Taylor (92%, won 12/13) having a better Premier League win ratio as Villa boss when scoring first on home soil (minimum three or more such games).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Aston Villa – 51%

Bournemouth – 24.1%

Draw – 24.9%