Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Unai Emery has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Brighton and Hove Albion 4 – 0 Aston Villa
Sunday 23 August, Amex Stadium
Unai Emery — Aston Villa (away)
11/12 · Identity level fed: Safety & Capability
“Tough match, tough 20-25 minutes. Mistakes, and again we are building the team, and building the team, we can make some mistakes. Today we were so, so unlucky, because each mistake we made, they were scoring. We conceded four goals in the first half – it was a crazy moment.”
“The second half, the players responded fantastic. We tried to get a new plan in the dressing room, playing the second half like we did without one player, and as well, trying to be always not losing our mind, being focused in our gameplan, trying to avoid conceding more goals or chances like we did.”
“And then, try to play, building the team, building our structure, building individually and collectively how we want to build the new team for this year.”
“Of course, we have some circumstances, they are not helping us, but those circumstances we had before as well, last year, two years ago, three years ago, and always, we overcame it.”
“And this is now the new objective as well; try to finish the transfer window and start with the players we will have, of course working hard and preparing for the challenges we will have this year.”
“Of course, in Premier League, 38 matches, each point is very important, but today we lost three, and now the next match is next Monday against Arsenal at home.”
“Hopefully, in Villa Park, we can feel stronger and more comfortable and more confident with the players and with the tactical work we will do this week, and then, trying to avoid the mistakes we made today, and work for it.”
Emery lost four nil and refused to let the afternoon mean more than it did. He calls the mistakes what they were, points out that Villa are still building a team, and reaches for what this group has already done, saying they have faced circumstances like these in each of the last three years and come through every time. He gives the week a shape as well. Finish the window, do the tactical work, then Arsenal at Villa Park on Monday. The only thing he withholds is credit to Brighton, who are barely mentioned.
Source: VAVEL, “Emery reflects on a ‘tough match’ against Brighton” — vavel.com (same interview published by the Aston Villa official site)
Matchweek 3
Aston Villa 0–1 Arsenal
Villa Park · Saka 59′
Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
Source: post-match mixed-zone interview, Villa Park, 31 August 2026 (transcript supplied)
Q: Unai, your reflections on what was a very entertaining game from my point of view, and I thought Villa really contributed well.
Good evening. We perform like we planned, and we compete like we planned. Then, how we didn’t achieve the result at the end, of course, is painful. But this is the message, through how we played, how we compete, how we were focused in the game here in Villa Park. It’s the way we want to build the game, also with the will, the team, like we want. And the debut of some players like Suzuki and Jackson, fantastic. The second match they are playing in the starting eleven, Hemmings, fantastic, George. Ross Barkley playing today as a midfield after a long time as well, taking responsibility, good. The players they were last year as well, more or less trying to support the idea we have, competing like we needed. The result is not enough because we lost, but this is the way we must try to rebuild the team. And, of course, adding more players for the next days, weeks, training, being ready to play, and, of course, getting the same level collectively like we wanted and we did last year with a new era or new chapter in our way.
Q: You possibly in some ways regret the number of players that have left the club, but is it also quite exciting to have so many new players that you can now work with and bringing a freshness maybe to the place?
Now we are happy how we close, or we are closing the transfer window, and we are not regretting anything. And the players we are joining, they are players, should be enough to rebuild the team again with the structure we want, and then showing their qualities individually, and to compete like we compete today, with the players progressively being ready to play. For example, Joao after red card, the midfielder, the German midfielder as well, okay, and then Maggio, he did a fantastic pre-season. We need the players we are joining in the squad to add their characteristics or qualities individually in our structure collectively, and this is the process we have.
Q: Goretzka, of course, you’re talking about. We saw in the crowd Ibrahim Umba and Taylor Howard-Bellis watching on today, two new signings you should get done?
The squad now, I think, is like we are with those players as well. I don’t know if it’s official Taylor signed, but hopefully we can close everything and work with the players we have now. Of course, we did a fantastic job progressively the last three years, and now with a new chapter for what we have, with the new players as well, try to rebuild the team as fast as possible and try to adapt them as best as possible in our structure and add their qualities. Of course, the Premier League is very difficult, and this is the first objective we have, and today we lost the first match as well, we lost, and we are starting a little bit behind our expectation, but we must accept it and try to be optimistic with the work we must do the next days and weeks and compete like we did today.
Q: And just finally, last season was one of the greatest seasons in this club’s history. You didn’t score a goal in the first four games, you didn’t win a game in the first five, and yet you went on to have such a fantastic season, and I think people should probably remember that.
Each year is different, each season is different. We don’t have the same players. We have, of course, our idea in our mind to build again and to create again a new chapter for this year. But of course, we have lost two matches, and after two matches we have six points less than we wanted. We don’t want to compare with last year or two years ago, three years ago. We must try to focus this year with the circumstances we can have and as well with the improvement we need.
12/12 · Identity level fed: Capability & Purpose
Emery praises the way Villa competed, the debuts of new players and Barkley’s responsibility, then places the defeat inside a rebuilding process. He says the players are good enough to rebuild the team and has seen them compete in the way he wants. The requirement to work, adapt and learn the collective structure is an imperative, backed by belief in their individual qualities. The difficulty is temporary, the players are capable and the route to the required level is clear.
Hull City 0–0 Aston Villa
MKM Stadium
Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
Source: Sky Sports, via beIN Sports; Express & Star
Q: Did you do enough to win?
The result is not enough, but how we played and how we created, with our chances to score – I think we deserved more. We weren’t clinical. We had four very good chances to score and, of course, if we score, the match can change. But overall, after 90 minutes I feel comfortable that we are progressing. It’s hard, but we have to accept how we are. Again, we are building the team.
Q: On the finishing?
It is not enough because we are not being clinical, we are not being ruthless. But we created chances. We are building and there is still work to do. This is the direction I want. It’s a good point. It is not enough. Now we are building the team. We are trying to understand with the new players how we can build our structure, try to get as strong as possible our ideas. Today we showed it, more or less. After the 90 minutes I can feel there is a lot of positive news. There are some players getting better. Collectively, how we played and respond on the field, trying to understand our ways like that, we did it. After the plan this morning we were speaking, we did it.
12/12 · Identity level fed: Capability
Emery is honest about the missing ruthlessness while keeping the problem Narrow: Villa created four strong chances and followed the plan. He describes progress, players improving and a collective structure taking shape. The players have shown that they can carry out the ideas discussed that morning, and the work with the new group will make those ideas stronger. The draw is handled credibly, with belief in the players and a clear imperative to keep building.
Matchweek 4
Aston Villa 1–2 Nottingham Forest
Unai Emery, Aston Villa: 8/12
“The first half we played well and we dominated.”
“Of course, we are going to be ambitious, but as well with time.”
Emery gives Villa’s players several reasons to believe in their ability. In the first half they stayed compact, controlled the game and stopped Forest’s counter-attacks. He also praises the qualities Manzambi and Mbaye showed when they came on in a difficult situation.
His account of Maatsen’s injury and the missed red card places a key reason for the defeat outside the team. That helps stop the result becoming a verdict on the players’ ability. The less helpful passage is his criticism that Villa lost everything about their shape in the second half. He gives no balancing reassurance in that passage. His continued ambition and call for time offer some encouragement, although the next steps for fixing the team’s shape remain vague.
Breakdown: Towards 1 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 1 · Path 1 · Good Loser* 1
Source: BBC Match of the Day interview, carried by Yahoo Sports. Reviewed alongside the supplied full transcript.
Matchweek 5
Tottenham Hotspur 2–3 Aston Villa
Unai Emery, Aston Villa: 12/12
“How we compete and how we respond in our game plan and progressively being very resilient defensively. We were creating as well our momentum to attack.”
“Today Jackson’s match fantastic, Emiliano’s match fantastic. Even defensively we did collectively very good work but offensively as well, in the moment we could attack, we could have the ball in the attacking third, we were as well today very, very good.”
“Each match we must adapt and we must get this challenge collectively, individually, and we must get this commitment to do it. And I think today the response for me, I am proud of how they respond on the field in the pre-plan.”
“It’s moment to rest as well with this victory better, and try to analyse everything and to prepare as best as possible for the next challenges.”
Emery turns Villa’s first league win into evidence of resilience, adaptability, commitment and collective sacrifice. He names Emiliano Martínez and Nicolas Jackson, then explains how individual performances fitted the game plan.
The poor league start is acknowledged without becoming permanent. This win can give the team confidence because it shows what they can do under pressure. Emery also avoids stopping at celebration. Rest, analysis and preparation for the next challenge complete a strong Good Winner* sequence.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 2
Source: TNT Sports post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Aston Villa 2–2 Brentford
Saturday 10 October 2026, Villa Park, Birmingham.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa: 10/12
Identity level: Capability.
To draw at home is not a good result. Thinking on our result today, we are sad. We were expecting the match like they played, a tough match. We were expecting to try and dominate the ball more than we did. We had enough chances to score, we scored two goals even though we created more. I think we improved. The last time we played at home against Nottingham (Forest) and Arsenal but defensively we conceded more than we expected. They scored two goals, had chances as well and threatened us. The result is maybe fair, the draw, and for this we are not happy, we are sad. But I am optimistic because we improved things. After the match against Nottingham, some players are adapting to us and getting minutes. We are going to need time with some players but it is something we know and we must be passionate. In football, the passion and the process must be as fast as possible but understanding for some situations we have to work hard and use each match to improve.
Villa have played three games at home and won none of them, so Emery says a home draw isn’t good enough. He says it twice. He isn’t just complaining, though, because the same answer has the chances they made, the two goals, the players settling in, and I am optimistic because we improved things. He’s telling them the standard at Villa Park is higher than this, and telling them they’re getting better. This is Towards language, and he’s putting the pressure up on purpose. He drops marks on SQAs and Adversity, though, because we must be passionate is just a hope, and he doesn’t say what this group is already good at.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 1 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Draw Leadership 2 · 10/12
Source: Press Association, via the Express & Star.
Matchweek 7
Newcastle United 0 – 1 Aston Villa
Saturday 17 October 2026, 5.30pm, St James’ Park.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
11/12. Identity level: Capability.
“Hard, tough match, but the victory is fantastic. How we compete, how we play when we need it defensively, to feel in our structure, everybody, the commitment we needed. We were working on it in previous matches, in our analysis of how we needed to play, our game plan. Then we could have possibilities as well to dominate, sometimes with the ball possession. Try to impose with our positioning, try to use our skills, our game plan as well in transition sometimes, sometimes through keeping ball possession to stop them as well and to try to dominate. We did it in 90 minutes more or less, more in transition, but we defended well. We conceded not so many chances and we had a very good opportunity to score the second goal to finish the game. But how we are improving, how we are competing, how we are being aware, the things we need to work, I think is the most important how we did today.”
Emery wins at St James’ Park on a hard away day and the whole answer is about structure. How we compete, the commitment we needed, to feel in our structure, we defended well: those are SQAs and a standard in one. Identity takes 2 for the same reason. Competing and commitment are what Villa are, in his telling. The difficulty of the fixture is the problem and he treats it as one afternoon the game plan handled, with the capability staying theirs, so both halves of the Elevate Formula are there. Path is 2. Building the players’ understanding of the structure he wants is the work, and he keeps naming it. Towards stays at 1. The things we need to work is as specific as the future gets.
Source: Sky Sports.
Matchweek 8
Aston Villa 2 – 1 Manchester City
Saturday 24 October 2026, 12.30pm, Villa Park.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Score: 12/12. Identity level: Capability and Purpose.
good afternoon what a match what a match this is the highest level in football in the world and today was a very good test for us how we were responding how we’re competing how we’re more or less being able to to beat them on the field in 90 minutes duels with our positioning so we needed the defence we needed the keeper we needed the sacrifice defensively a lot of time even in low block but when we were with the ball when we were threatening them was really fantastic so with that more favorite here confident we are progressively getting better after our to win in the Champions League was very important so today a really fantastic game we played, a really fantastic response of the players, this level is the level we want to try to achieve, to keep because we did it last year so very happy but still a lot of work to do and we won to try to use days like today as an example of how we want to build our team.
fantastic and they are the first in the league and I can speak about three teams not three or five teams in the world the best teams and one of them is Manchester City clearly so today how we are against them how we are facing them they are with 21 points we have 11 10 points in front of us of course they are contending a favor to win the title this year but playing matches because we are in champion league we are going to play matches like the like the level we we needed today so how we face it then is really fantastic and it’s a good example it’s a good test we are adding players as well improving understanding as well our demands in our tactical idea and our structures defensively offensively our positioning so today really fantastic fantastic day week really fantastic now rest because we we lost all our energy today myself as well i don’t have no energy and i need to rest as well tomorrow sunday but keep going in this way
that’s quite a formula to have to build the team in the story we are usually doing because how we can feel strong is, of course, with the individual skills, but our students tactically need to be strong and feel confident and comfortable playing in our task and doing our task. Today is fantastic. Today scored two goals, Jackson. But his best was home. He defended. Fantastic.
I knew him when we were in Villarreal. He started playing in the level he is now. So when he came here to England, he was as well having experiences. So I know his capacity to exploit his qualities and I know as well his humility and his everyday working and how he is focusing football like his priority in the life with his family and this is very important. The mentality is coming through how you are. focusing your life and your profession in football.
Emery treats a win over the league leaders as a test rather than a result. City are one of the best teams in the world and they are ten points clear, so the gap sits outside his players and says nothing about them. At the same time he is clear that the performance shows they can match that level.
What he sets against that is the standard Villa already reached last year, and he is clear that today is the example of how he wants the team built.
As usual with him, the way forward is structure: positioning, the jobs on both sides of the ball, and players understanding the shape. Focusing them on this is a device he uses to take the pressure off. The structure becomes their shield, and it gives them the belief that they have something solid which can help them overcome even the best teams.
Jackson scores twice and the praise goes to his defending, his humility and his daily work.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Aston Villa 1 – 1 Fulham
Saturday 31 October 2026, 8.00pm, Villa Park, Birmingham.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Score: 10/12. Identity level: Safety & Capability.
Just a point for you this evening, what was missing from your team’s performance?
Good evening. Disappointing result, but fair. So, the first half, we were trying to dominate the match, to break their build-up with the high press. We did more times than less. Sometimes they could break our press and they created one or two chances as well. Very good save of Zion Suzuki. We were creating chances as well. We were creating corners offensively. We had a penalty shot. We scored the goal. The first half, more or less, was a tough match, but we were more or less feeling comfortable. So, we wanted to carry on the second half in the same way, but we couldn’t. I don’t know why, but we couldn’t. They were pushing more, they were dominating more, they were cutting chances more. We were defending, we needed the goalkeeper, and they scored the goal. And they draw, and after it again, it changed a little bit. We started the game pushing, not being organized like we want, but pushing, pushing. And we created at the end two or three chances to score the goal. But I think the result is a fair result, disappointing for us. Not enough, but keep going forward.
As you’ve already mentioned, Zion Suzuki made some terrific saves this evening, but ultimately he’ll look back on it as a very disappointing night with an uncharacteristic error for the goal.
Yes, but it’s part of football.
Has he said much in the dressing room afterwards?
No, no, no, no, nothing, nothing. Keep going forward. Keep going. We are improving. Today was a very good test, but we need to continue working and improving things. What to do. Try to adapt a lot of players in our structure and getting better confidence. Of course, we are improving with the result. The last five matches in Premier League, three wins, two draws. I think it’s good, but our poor start is giving us a lack of point in the table. So improving today’s draw, this draw is a disappointing result, but a fair result. And we have to accept it, and we must keep going forward. Next challenge on Tuesday, Barcelona, next challenge this week before the break against Manchester United. So it’s not time to stop. It’s not time to be focusing everything we did before. The focus is the next match, the next days, and of course, each competition is giving us a lot of moment to try to build a team, and we are building and we are working in our improvements.
Do you welcome the fact that the next two games on paper are so tough, particularly the trip on Tuesday and the Champions League to Barcelona, just to blow off the cobwebs from today’s performance and show again what you can do?
Yes, it’s difficult very much.
Emery’s goalkeeper has dropped a corner into his own net and cost Villa two points. Everyone else will be talking about that error for a week. Emery deals with it in five words, it’s part of football, and when he is asked whether anything was said in the dressing room afterwards the answer is nothing, nothing, keep going forward. He had already got Suzuki’s good save in before the error came up.
The result he calls fair three separate times, so nobody leaves convinced they were robbed. Structure is where he goes next, as he usually does, with adapting players into it and getting better confidence as the work, and he names the next two games so the focus has somewhere to land. The one gap is the second half. They couldn’t carry on as they had, and he says plainly that he doesn’t know why, so the thing that cost them two points is the thing nobody has an explanation for yet.
Source: Press Association.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.