John McGinn shares what Unai Emery told him before Aston Villa beat Arsenal

John McGinn has shared what Unai Emery told him ahead of kick-off before the Aston Villa star scored the winning goal against Arsenal on Saturday.

McGinn shared his thoughts with Sky Sports (broadcast on 9/12; 19:42) following his decisive first-half goal at Villa Park, solidifying Aston Villa’s position as potential contenders for the Premier League title.

His standout performance on Saturday raised anticipation about Villa’s performance, especially after their midweek victory against Manchester City.

John McGinn shares what Unai Emery told him before Aston Villa win

Aston Villa experienced some fortunate moments during the match, but John McGinn’s ability to capitalize on his opportunity proved crucial, unlike Arsenal, who struggled to convert their chances. Unai Emery had a positive outlook, believing that the Scottish international could make a difference against the team leading the table.

McGinn revealed that Emery expressed the importance of him scoring in this game, stating, “It means a lot. The manager said to me at pre-match that I owed him a goal.” McGinn recalled a similar chance in a Europa Conference League game and credited the behind-the-scenes staff for analyzing such situations.

He explained, “We’ve got a lot of staff behind the scenes who analyze that stuff and say if that happens again turn on your right and shoot with your left. Just in that split second, I managed to do that.”

Despite not achieving the cleanest strike, McGinn was delighted that the ball found the corner of the net, securing the victory for Aston Villa.

Villans proved a real point with victory over potential title rivals

Aston Villa continues to be one of the most in-form teams in the league, matching only Liverpool’s points tally in the last five games, which includes four wins and a draw. Despite expectations that Villa might underperform after their recent victory against the champions, Arsenal fans believed they were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty and to have a goal disallowed.

Similar to Arsenal’s narrative throughout the season, Villa demonstrated resilience and found a way to secure a significant victory in their campaign. Once again, John McGinn emerged as the hero for Villa in this crucial match.