Unai Emery seizes the opportunity to face Andoni Iraola as Aston Villa prepare to host high-flying Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Bournemouth were beaten 3-1 at Manchester City last time out, but they are still fifth in the table ahead of Matchday 11, just a point off second place.
Villa, meanwhile, are 11th, having won four consecutive games before losing 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield last week. Emery’s side took the lead again in the Europa League on Thursday, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0.
Only Chelsea (29) have had more shots on target in away Premier League games this season than Bournemouth (24), and Emery expects the Cherries to be aggressive in and out of possession on Sunday.
“They perform fantastically, the work he does [Iraola] does, all the professionals there with the head coach, it’s really fantastic,” Emery said.
“In fact, he is always selling players, he is building a very competitive team, fighting for the top positions, European positions, and this year they have 18 points, three more than us.
“Tactically they are very good at everything. They defend aggressively, they win duels, they attack in transition, but they get good combinations with their players and are very attacking with all the players they have.”
wins from our last matches in all competitions. pic.twitter.com/OOGI0cwGPU
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 7, 2025
Bournemouth saw midfielder Alex Scott called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad on Friday, and Iraola believes his inclusion will reflect well on everyone at the Vitality Stadium.
“I am happy for him. I think he has played very well and I also think that the good performances with the under-21s in the summer [at the Euros] has also been very valuable,” said Iraola.
“I’m very happy for him and happy for the club, because in an English club I think it’s good to have someone who represents your country. Especially for him, but also for the club.”
The boys respond @AlexScott_7’s very first senior @England call pic.twitter.com/pxRYHD2Ff1
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) November 7, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa – Emiliano Martinez
Martinez’s mistake led to Mohamed Salah’s opening goal as Villa lost 2-0 at Liverpool last weekend.
Since the Argentine joined Villa for the 2020/21 season, only three players have made more mistakes leading to goals in the Premier League than Martinez’s seven.
Bournemouth v Adrien Truffert
Truffert has made the most underlapping runs in the Premier League this season (33), while only Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon (18) has made more underlapping runs than him (16).
Only Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz (106) has more off-ball runs in the attacking third among full-backs than Truffert (93).
MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN
Aston Villa have lost just one of their last 23 home games in the Premier League (W14 D8), a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in August.
Over the past two seasons, only Liverpool (58), Manchester City (54) and Arsenal (52) have more home points in the division than Villa (50).
Sunday’s hosts are also unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Bournemouth (W3 D2), having lost four in a row to the Cherries before this series.
The Cherries won their first two away games in the Premier League against Villa, but have since failed to win on their last three visits to Villa Park (D1 L2).
Villa have topped their last two home games in the Premier League, winning both times against Burnley and Man City.
They have won 83% of their league games under Emery at Villa Park when leading 1-0 (29/35), with only Graham Taylor (92%, won 12/13) having a better Premier League win ratio as Villa boss when scoring first on home soil (at least three or more such games).
OPTA CHANCE OF WINNING
Aston Villa – 51%
Bournemouth – 24.1%
Draw – 24.9%
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