Unai Emery explains what Liverpool are amazing at amid angry claim after Aston Villa loss

Unai Emery spoke of his disappointment - and even anger - after Aston Villa’s loss to Liverpool on Boxing Day.

The Reds claimed a 3-1 win in their first Premier League game following the restart of the season after the World Cup.

Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk put Jurgen Klopp’s side two goals to the good at half-time. But Villa mustered a response in the second half and Ollie Watkins reduced the arrears.

Yet Liverpool wrapped up all three points when Stefan Bajcetic netted off the bench in the 81st minute at Villa Park.

While Emery was frustrated with the result, he saluted the Reds’ prowess in the transition.

The Villa boss said: “Really disappointed. We did a great effort. It’s so hard for us. I think the first half we started well. We created chances. We didn’t score and conceding two goals from set-pieces isn’t normal because we are working well on the set-pieces. The result was a little bit tough for us.

“The second half we needed to keep, again, our game plan and to try to get chances to score and opportunities to come back. We played for 30 minutes very well. We scored, we created chances and we were better than them, I think.

“Their transition is amazing as well, they have players fast like Salah and Darwin Nunez and they created a few chances. Our goalkeeper saved one or two but they scored the third and the match was finished.

“We know against Liverpool you are playing against a match that is open against them, we are going to have chances as well. I want to be optimistic, very optimistic, and today I am disappointed.

“And I am a little bit angry but I think the attitude was amazing from the players. Some individuals and collective, tactical issues, but we did well. I want to be optimistic and I know we have to learn, to add more things tactically for the step up I want to make.”