Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has praised Chelsea counterpart Graham Potter ahead of Saturday's meeting between the two teams. Chelsea are looking to get back on the winning trail after a 2-2 draw to Everton ended their run of three successive victories last time out.
The Blues could end the day in the bottom half, though, with Villa only behind them in 11th on goal difference. Since taking over in the Midlands Emery has led his new team out of danger, looking up once more.
As for the Blues, their season now rests on Champions League progression but ensuring that there is still competition for places and form heading into the games against Real Madrid adds jeopardy to Premier League fixtures still. Upon the return from the international break it is no different.
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Potter has three games to get his players into shape before travelling to Santiago Bernabeau on April 12 and has plans to raise the match fitness of key players Reece James, Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling, Thiago Silva and N'Golo Kante. With those players slowly coming back into contention Potter's squad could be transformed.
It's this that makes them such a dangerous proposition for Emery, who urged Todd Boehly to stick with the former Brighton man. “They [Chelsea] have very good players and their coach [Potter] is amazing," he said on Thursday. "His work in Brighton was amazing and he needs time to adapt his ideas to Chelsea. Progressively, they are doing better.
“He deserved to take a step ahead with a team like Chelsea – They are progressing, and everything he did in Brighton he can do in Chelsea. He needs time, he needs matches and to know his players better.
“They played very well in the Champions League. In the Premier League, they’re not keeping the balance of being consistent in the table. For us, Saturday is a match against one of the best teams in the Premier League, with a very good coach, with very good players.”
Emery has already helped Villa progress themselves, moving out of a congested relegation battle with strong performances against Manchester United and Arsenal along the way. The Blues, meanwhile, are now unbeaten in four games in all competitions, an upturn in results, but still haven't beaten a side above them in the league this term.
Should Potter fail to get a positive result here, despite its relative lack of meaning on the table or for the season, more pressure will mount on him. Emery is far from the only manager to give support to his fellow coach though, a common theme. That does little to settle a frustrated and disappointed fanbase.
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