Why we did what we did to Manchester United — Unai Emery

Aston Villa’s strategic brilliance under Unai Emery came to the forefront in their showdown against Manchester United, leaving the home side struggling to penetrate their defenses in the first half at Old Trafford.

Unai Emery elaborated on Villa’s meticulously planned game plan that set them on course for a remarkable 2-0 lead by halftime.

Villa’s early goals, orchestrated by John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker, left Erik ten Hag’s side reeling.

McGinn’s strike emerged from a cunning setup involving the astute Leon Bailey, positioned cleverly behind Andre Onana before swiftly darting away from goal as McGinn took the crucial free kick.

Dendoncker compounded United’s woes, capitalizing on Clement Lenglet’s flick-on, raising questions about the Red Devils’ defensive marking in the lead-up to the goal.

Ten Hag faced an uphill battle at halftime, aiming to salvage something from the game and avoid United’s fourth defeat in six Premier League matches, despite a spirited start to the second half.

The first half unveiled a staggering statistic as United recorded an unprecedented six offsides, signaling Villa’s successful execution of their high offside trap, a tactic Emery shed light on in his pre-match insights.

In a conversation preceding Villa’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United, Emery disclosed the intricacies of Villa’s offside strategy, which had seen them trap opposition players offside on 82 occasions prior to the encounter, far exceeding other Premier League teams.

“We work diligently on our defensive line, sometimes adjusting its height based on the situation. Our aim is to be aggressive and maintain a solid defensive structure,” Emery explained to Sky Sports.

Reflecting on the evolution of this tactical approach, he revealed,

“From the outset of my coaching career, I emphasized a high defensive line. Over time, we’ve fine-tuned it, but consistently aimed for a higher line.”

Manchester United however came back to win the tie 3-2.