Aston Villa boss blasts 'crazy' three-week international break

Unai Emery has hit out at the “crazy” three-week international break he believes threatens to disrupt Villa’s rebuild.

Villa travel to Tottenham on Saturday lunchtime for their final match before October 10 with around half of Emery’s squad poised to depart for duty with their national teams.

That includes £51million summer signing Johan Manzambi, despite the Switzerland star having only just recovered from a knee injury.

Emery has been trying to integrate 10 new players after a transfer window which also saw several high-profile departures.

Villa have taken just one point from their first four league matches and speaking on Friday, Emery claimed it still felt like his squad were in pre-season such has been the scale of change.

The international break, in his view, is coming at the wrong time.

“This break is crazy because it’s three weeks,” he said. I don’t like to be three weeks after tomorrow not playing but we must accept it.

“We are not going to have the players we want.

“Manzambi played the first two matches with us and tomorrow the third and then he goes with the national team.

“Back with us, we must again try to join him with us in our structure and his mind will maybe be confused.

“We don’t want to use international break as an excuse.

“Tomorrow is very important as we lack points but we continue in our process trying to work as well as possible.”

Villa could have both Matty Cash and Joao Gomes back for the match, with both poised to undergo late fitness tests.

Back-up goalkeeper Marco Bizot is out with the back injury he sustained in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win at Coventry.