Unai Emery addresses key Aston Villa question and makes Netflix admission

Unai Emery insists his team selection will be based purely on what's best for the squad ahead of a crucial clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

Villa travel to the North East still hunting their first league win - and their first goals - of the campaign, having drawn a blank in each of their opening four fixtures.

Harvey Elliott did break the team's goalscoring duck in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening, but Villa were eventually knocked out of the tournament on penalties.

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The likes of Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins have faced criticism for Villa's goal drought in the opening weeks of the season - especially considering they managed 42 goal contributions in the league last campaign.

"Every player (has) to work and to feel important in the squad," Emery said when questioned about Rogers in particular. "Rogers, how he's progressing, how he did his progression here, really is fantastic, and still the same challenge he has.

"He has this challenge, to continue improving and keeping the level he had last year.

"Of course, we started as a team (worse) than we did last year, and we started individually as well (worse) than last year. We have to, everybody, try to react, and Sunday is the first opportunity we have."

When asked if there are certain players who he simply cannot afford to drop, Emery said: "We have some versatile players, and they are performing well in different positions and now with the players we have, we will be competitive on Sunday.

"I have some different possibilities with the players to use in one position or another, and I will do. Everything I am thinking is the best for the team now."

Sunday's opponents, Sunderland, have secured victories in both their home fixtures this campaign - triumphing over West Ham and Brentford - whilst also earning a draw at Crystal Palace last weekend.

"Difficult. They are excited, motivated. I watched the chapters in Netflix about recently the history they had," Emery explained.

"It is fantastic how they are reacting, after they were in League One, Championship and again Premier League. They are so, so motivated, how they achieved it last year.

"We are going to play there in the same form, and mentally we played the last two matches – Everton and Brentford – focused on each match and thinking how we need to feel strong. The commitment the players showed, I think, is the first step forward we did.

"And now we have to do one thing more, (it) is (to) try to be more clinical with the ball in our attacks better than we did.

"Of course, we scored the first goal against Brentford on Tuesday, but it was not enough because we didn't win, but it is the way we are working and focusing."

He added: "The focus is Sunday. We are going to focus Sunday in our 100% preparing the players we have to try to get our best.

"Of course, we need points, and it's the first opportunity we have in the Premier League after the four matches played.

"We need on Sunday to continue improving, performing, continuing competing and even doing something better than we did the last two matches because we didn't achieve the results we wanted.

"And on Sunday is our challenge. It's our challenge away, Sunderland, for everything (it) means, how they are now, because we need to add points in the table for us."

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