Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes the 3-1 victory over Coventry in the third round of the Carabao Cup cand give his side confidence after a difficult start to the season.
Following a winless start to Premier League, Villa picked up a much-needed win which Emery hopes can kick-start their campaign and they have now been handed a date with Bournemouth in the fourth round of the competition.
It took just seven minutes for Villa to go ahead when Tammy Abraham slotted in his first goal of the season on his first start before Victor Torp equalised with a brilliant free-kick.
A pair of corners undid the hosts when Ross Barkley nodded the visitors back in front from Ibrahim Mbaye’s delivery before Abraham tapped home John McGinn’s set-up.
Emery said: “We are always being demanding to try and be contenders for trophies in the competition, we can feel it. This competition is very difficult but a way to try achieve something.
“The second objective is how we are building the team with our new players, understanding our demands and idea. It’s been positive because we are in the next round and secondly we joined some players with the minutes and feeling good and confident.
“Today I am happy with the result. We are lacking wins and of course winning today gives us confidence and hopefully we can continue with our development.
“How we started the season in the Premier League, bad. Champions League, good. Today winning and getting balance and trying to get better.”
Summer signing Alejandro Garnacho has yet to start a game for Aston Villa this season and was once again left on the bench without coming on.
Emery says Garnacho needs to work his way into the team and admits there are players who are more deserving of a place in the starting XI at the moment.
He added: “Continue working. Work, work, train, work. When he can have minutes to play, try and play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now.
“George (Hemmings) is playing fantastic. Alysson is also understanding things well and is giving us things I want. (Ibrahim) Mbaye also responded well.
“We want a competitive team and players to compete in the style we have. Garnacho is a little bit behind, because of some circumstances we had in pre-season. It is time to be patient for the time he needs.”
Coventry boss Frank Lampard admits his side will find it hard to win games if they concede soft goals from set pieces.
He said: “If you give away two set pieces as simply as we did, then we will find it very hard to win against Premier League opposition.
“We are trying to find those connections because we need players to get fit. It’s mentally difficult for the players because we get back in the game then the soft nature of the second and third goals.
“They are not easy to come back from, that’s the critical part of the game today.”
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