Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has praised defender Victor Lindelof, highlighting how the player's extensive experience at Manchester United is proving valuable for his new club.
Lindelof's impressive start at Villa Park
The Swedish international, aged 31, joined Villa on a free transfer on deadline day last summer after his contract at Old Trafford expired. He turned down offers from elsewhere, including clubs in Saudi Arabia, to make the move to the Midlands.
During his seven-year spell with Manchester United, Lindelof made 284 appearances and won two trophies: the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
So far this season, he has made 10 appearances for Villa. With Pau Torres injured, Lindelof has started the last two matches—against FC Basel and West Ham United—and impressed in both victories.
Emery's glowing assessment
"He has experience and he is a very good professional. He has qualities too," Emery said of the centre-back. "We signed him in the last moments of the transfer window because when we identified that possibility, I wanted everything that he did last week [vs West Ham]."
Emery was particularly effusive about Lindelof's performance in the win at West Ham, describing it as "really fantastic". He emphasised the player's quick adaptation and maturity.
"Every day it is easy how we are working because his adaptation is so quick, and everything we need, through his experiences, he can give us," the Villa boss added. "He is very mature, of course. This is very important. He is responsible too, and he has experiences, and hopefully he can help us a lot for the rest of the season."
Building a winning mentality
Emery also drew parallels between Villa's recent development and the environment Lindelof experienced at his former club. "How we performed in the last three years was similar to Manchester United. He is coming to us and he is feeling it," he noted.
Villa's form has been outstanding, with nine consecutive wins in all competitions. A key feature of their success has been their resilience; they have come from behind to win three of those matches and have gained 15 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season.
In contrast, their upcoming opponents, Manchester United, have dropped 10 points from winning positions this term—the third-highest total in the division.
"To build mentality, you need time, experience, wins and losses," Emery said, reflecting on his team's remarkable comeback habit. "You have to manage bad moments and good moments. In three years we have those experiences together, and the players are joining us in that and they understand."
Lindelof is expected to partner Ezri Konsa in central defence once again when Aston Villa host Manchester United this Sunday, setting the stage for an emotional reunion for the Swedish defender.
