Unai Emery calls on Aston Villa players to 'take more risks'

Since his arrival, the Spaniard has placed more importance on possession, with his team making 30 per cent more passes in their own half than under previous boss Steven Gerrard.

And ahead of tonight’s clash in the capital, Emery believes that approach can reap more rewards.

He said: “You have to take risks in football. I am trying to keep possession of the ball. When we have the ball with the goalkeeper, we are starting our build-up. If he is kicking the ball long, some we will win and some we will lose. I prefer to try to keep the ball ourselves.

“The best teams play like this. I always try it with my teams. When I started with Lorca, that was my philosophy 20 years ago. Try to keep possession. If we have the ball, I feel better than being without the ball. My idea is to convince the players with results.

“The first step, the easiest step, is to organise defensively. That is easier than organising offensively. Trying to break the opposition lines by pressing is more difficult than to sit back. That takes time. But the team is practising, practising and practising.”