Unai Emery outlines Aston Villa demands for Liverpool test

Villa go to Anfield looking to end a three-match losing streak, the joint longest of Emery’s reign, against opponents who have won eight of their first 10 league matches under new boss Arne Slot.

Emery yesterday branded the Reds as favourites for the title ahead of Manchester City and knows his team will have their work cut out if they are to become only the second team this season, after Nottingham Forest, to beat them.

"How can we be competitive there? Of course it is completely necessary to stop them,” he said. "To stop them with the ball, to stop them without the ball.

“They have a great capacity to keep the ball and push the opponent a lot.

"In 90 minutes we have to stop their individual players. We have to stop their build-up.

"We have to stop them when they get a lot of players into our box. We have to defend and stop them on the ball.

"We have to avoid their high-press and their medium-block and their capacity to transition.

"There are a lot of things we need to do well tomorrow.

"We have to be clinical. Even when you play a very good match, sometimes you don't get any points." 

Forest won 1-0 at Anfield in September and Emery has studied how Nuno Espirito Santo’s high-flying side pulled off the victory.

Liverpool, who have a two point lead over Manchester City at the top, have gone on to win 11 of their next 12 matches in all competitions.

Emery said: “Nottingham Forest provided a good example of how they beat them.

"They won in Liverpool who are very hard to beat at Anfield but they did it.

"I also analyse different teams playing there, even teams who lost there, to try to learn.

"Chelsea, Brighton, even Leverkusen who lost 4-0, are good examples to analyse with my coaches.

"We identify different tactical structures that teams have played against them and then try to set our own ideas.”

Though frustrated at recent performances and the results which have halted Villa’s early season momentum, Emery is also keeping one eye on the bigger picture with his team still sitting sixth in what is a heavily congested table.

He said: “Sometimes (last season) we were losing to teams but in the table after 38 matches we were able to get more points than them. 

“This is the focus I have, tomorrow, how we can face them because there are three points to play for. Then, how can we be consistent in 38 matches to keep the same level we have?

“Now we are sixth. Is it good or bad? It is very good. Comparing last year when we were fourth, maybe it is worse but to be sixth now in the table is a very good way. 

“Of course we are demanding and hopefully we can get more. But if we are keeping it, more or less we are going in a good way. There is still work to do to improve a lot of things.”