Unai Emery makes massive Leeds United declaration with 'deserving' Whites view ahead of Aston Villa test

Unai Emery has made a massive Leeds United declaration with a “deserving” Whites view ahead of Saturday’s enormous Premier League showdown in Birmingham.

Emery’s high-flying side sit third in the Premier League table and the Villains will now now look to complete a quick double over Leeds in Saturday’s 3pm kick-off at Villa Park.

A second-half brace from Morgan Rogers gave Emery’s men a 2-1 victory in November’s reverse fixture at Elland Road which condemned Leeds to a third straight defeat at the time as part of a run of four defeats in a row.

Emery, though, speaking ahead of Saturday’s rematch, says Daniel Farke’s Whites were “deserving” of more at the time, the Villa boss saluting United’s recovery from that run which now has Leeds sat six points clear of the dropzone.

Emery’s side are now just three points behind second-placed Manchester City and only eight behind leaders Arsenal who have played a game more but the Villa boss has made a declaration of “massive” respect for Saturday afternoon’s visitors.

Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference and as quoted by Aston Villa’s official website, Emery said of Leeds: “Even playing and winning against them (in November), they competed fantastic, and they were playing good football, and they were deserving more.

“After that match, maybe they changed the structure tactically with three centre-backs, and they are performing very well.

“They are being a team competing fantastic, and of course, they achieved some very important points against difficult teams like Chelsea away, like Liverpool away, Sunderland away, and they beat as well, some teams really playing fantastic, like Chelsea at home, or Fulham, or Nottingham Forest.

“A massive respect to them”

“I think now they are confident. They are feeling better than maybe three or four months ago, but they know how the difficulties to escape off the bottom of the table, because it’s so tight, the difference between the teams they are there.

“Of course, for us tomorrow is a massive respect to them, and prepare the game as better as possible, 90 minutes, knowing how they are performing, how they are competing, how they are feeling good as well, playing different ways.

“Sometimes they are playing in combination, sometimes they are playing low balls second action, attacking so quick.

“Sometimes they are getting duels defensively and man to man and sometimes they are getting low block and defending very well.

“They are really feeling confidence when we are analysing them and watching their games.”