Emery Resigned to Duran Exit, but Urges Villa to Keep Hold of Watkins

Soccer Football - Champions League - Aston Villa v Celtic - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - January 29, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Soccer Football - Champions League - Aston Villa v Celtic - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - January 29, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
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Emery Resigned to Duran Exit, but Urges Villa to Keep Hold of Watkins

Soccer Football - Champions League - Aston Villa v Celtic - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - January 29, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Soccer Football - Champions League - Aston Villa v Celtic - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - January 29, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Despite Aston Villa sealing a Champions League last-16 spot on Wednesday, coach Unai Emery faced questions on the futures of Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins, with the Spaniard adamant he wants to keep one forward, while appearing resigned to losing another.

Ahead of kick off, several British media outlets reported Premier League title chasers Arsenal had bid for Villa marksman Watkins.

Watkins went on to score a decisive third goal before missing a penalty against Celtic as Villa sealed a top-eight finish in the Champions League first round, but the result was not top of reporters' agenda post match, Reuters reported.

"I don't want (to sell Watkins)," Emery told reporters. "It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad.

"Every player can be in the market if it is good for the player and the club. To get this deal we are going to be demanding. Watkins is our striker.

"If he (Duran) leaves it's good news for us because they're paying good money and we developed him in two years. A fantastic young player, I was always trying to help him with my advice. But the player has the objective and ambition and if he leaves it is because he prefers to go another way in his career."

Emery expressed his frustration at the timing of these stories on Villa's big night, sealing an impressive end to the league phase of their first campaign back in Europe's premier club competition since 1982-83.

Morgan Rogers' hat-trick sealed a 4-2 success for Villa, who now skip the playoff round and head straight for the last 16.

"We have a lot of speculation around the players in the squad but they're showing us they are mature and responsible with these performances," Emery added.

"We are very proud of our work this year. The Premier League is very difficult to get into the Champions League because there are a lot of strong teams who are contenders.

"But it's very important how we got here, from where we started."



Salah Scores, Sets Up Equalizer as Liverpool Draws 2-2 at Villa to Lead Premier League by 8 Points

19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
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Salah Scores, Sets Up Equalizer as Liverpool Draws 2-2 at Villa to Lead Premier League by 8 Points

19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa
19 February 2025, United Kingdom, Birmingham: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is tackled by Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans (R) during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at the Villa Park. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa

Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up the equalizer by Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa that stretched its lead in the Premier League to eight points on Wednesday.
Salah tucked away with his league-leading 24th goal of the campaign to put Liverpool ahead at Villa Park in the 29th minute, only for the leaders to fall behind by halftime following a volley by Youri Tielemans and a header from Ollie Watkins.
Alexander-Arnold ran onto an inside pass from Salah and drove in a shot that deflected past Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez in the 61st as Liverpool salvaged a point from an end-to-end game, avoiding what would have been just a second league defeat of the season, The Associated Press reported.
It remains to be seen whether this was a good point for Liverpool in one of the toughest away fixtures in the league or two more dropped points, a week after a 2-2 draw at local rival Everton.
“We desired more,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, "and that is the only thing we can blame ourselves for a few times now — we did not get what we deserved. We must not make a habit of that.”
Liverpool has now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, which appears to be the only other realistic challenger for the title, and has another tough away game on Sunday at Manchester City.
Arsenal plays first out of the top two at the weekend — at home to West Ham on Saturday — and has the chance to trim the lead to five points before Liverpool meets City.
Liverpool is seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United.
Salah is spearheading Liverpool's title charge. Not only is the Egypt forward the league's top scorer, with five more than nearest challenger Erling Haaland of Manchester City, he has more assists than anyone else with 15.
Should Arsenal wind up reeling in Liverpool, the Reds may regret a big miss from Darwin Nunez after the Uruguay striker came on as a substitute. Dominik Szoboszlai ran through a squared the ball to Nunez, who had an open goal at which to aim with a left-footed shot.
Nunez blazed the finish high and wide, with Slot on the touchline barely believing what he had seen.
Villa then had chances to win it, with Morgan Rogers shooting over when well-placed and substitute Donyell Malen driving a low shot just wide with one of the last kicks of the game.
“We had some good chances to make it 3-2 and then we could even have lost it,” Slot said. “It was a great game but I am not happy with the result.”
Villa, which has lost just once at home all season in the league, stayed in ninth place and is four points off fifth. A fifth-place finish looks set to be enough to qualify for next season's Champions League.