Hull v Aston Villa: Unai Emery excited and energised by club's new era and 'right direction'

“Excited and motivated” Unai Emery has vowed Villa are still moving in the right direction as he looks to lead the club into a new era.

Villa remain in the hunt for their first goals, points and win of the Premier League season and head to newly-promoted Hull - who have snared two wins from two - on Saturday evening (5.30pm).

A summer of change at Villa Park brought 11 new signings and saw modern-day legends and stalwarts such as Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Morgan Rogers head out the exit door.

Emery’s new ranks are understandably still finding their feet and the boss was encouraged by what he saw in Monday’s 1-0 defeat against Arsenal. He is wary of the challenge a vibrant and confident Hull will pose but, more broadly, pointed to the “problems” the club have overcome in his four years at the helm.

"We've worked here four years and every year we've had a lot of problems,” Emery said. “We always overcame problems and more or less completed our objectives.

"My feeling is every year we have problems and we overcome those problems to get to a new way with the circumstances we have.

"Now is the same. The transfer window has finished, a lot of players left who developed fantastically here and deserved their new chapter.”

Emery likened his new crop, including signings Joao Gomes, Leon Goretzka, Zion Suzuki, Nicolas Jackson and Ibrahim Mbaye among others, to the group he helped build and develop years earlier.

He added: "We are here again with new young players, with experienced players. Getting a balance in my mind it is difficult to tell you now we are better than last year.

"But I am sure it is not different. We have players joining us like Joao (Gomes), like Goretzka, Ibrahim (Mbaye), young players like (Brian) Madjo, and Jackson - those players arrive here like the players that left this summer.

"The level they had in that moment - maybe you can think is similar (to now). We need to develop again, get the progression, performance improving collectively and individually.”

The head coach insists he is optimistic as ever about the club’s direction of travel under the ownership of Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

“Each year is a new chapter, new era, new challenge for us to keep the level,” Emery said.

"The mentality and process with the club and what we demand is still high. Not just from me but from the owners as well.

"We are doing work to Villa Park for the first time in a long time because we want more supporters in Villa Park and we know a lot of supporters want to be with us. It shows the ambition of the club is to go up, and we are the same working inside.

"Everybody is more or less concerned because we have some changes, but we are still in the right direction.”

Emery is excited and energised for the challenge of developing a new era, though knows rest periods are important. He smiled: "We need so much energy as coaches! Sometimes I need a good nap, or enough naps after intense morning work.

"The first objective I had in my mind in football is 'don't lose my passion'. My passion is very important, the excitement I have.”