Jacob Tanswell

The peak reached, the mountain climbed. Aston Villa bath in euphoria. It is glorious. From the "worried" lows, to the big high - the inside story of #AVFC's turbulent, though ultimately joyous, season. FREE TO READ: @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/728...

Unai Emery is the Premier League's best coach. Free to read @theathleticfc.bsky.social #AVFC

If you’re building a goalkeeper, you’d ideally want a lot of the traits Zion Suzuki has. #AVFC  have a very good goalkeeper department and Suzuki is thriving. Lots of acclaim regarding his distribution but his shot-stopping, sweeping and aerial work has also been exceptional.

Instant analysis - Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City: Nicolas Jackson, the perfect forward for #AVFC Free to read @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/771...

FT: #AVFC 2-1 Man City Fourth straight home win against City, perfectly marking Emery's four-year anniversary. Jackson will rightly get the headlines - he epitomises the rebooted Villa, with his 2nd a demonstration of the pace & power Villa wanted this summer. You saw why there is so much optimism.

Emery simply orchestrating #AVFC's movements down the left side. Buendia coming to feet as Maatsen overlaps, Jackson pulling wide as Barkley runs into the space. Just pure, outstanding coaching. Kamara's covering has been outstanding again today, picking up City runs in the box so well

Emi Buendia & Ross Barkley are coming on. #AVFC

Wow. Mbaye has just come on. That's Villa 2.0 in a nutshell - Jackson holds the ball up, frees Mbaye, who, with his first few touches, pulls the ball back for jackson to finish first time. Ruthless. 2-1 #AVFC

Big fan of Matty Cash successfully pleading for the ref to keep his cards in his pockets. Says it's his first foul when he committed three in the first half. Gvardiol hits the crossbar. #AVFC have to throw some punches back

City take a free-kick quickly, Ndiaye isolates Manzambi and crosses. Haaland is there. City's wingers have been terrific. Emery wants Manzambi/McGinn to overload one side, with Jackson staying towards the left at all times. The idea is that a quick switch will get him 1v1 very quickly. #AVFC

Nicolas Jackson gave Marc Guehi a torrid time in the first half. He was booked and it was his mistake for the goal. Guehi has been subbed at half time. Jackson has been exceptional again - his timing of movements and just the general repetition of his sprints are exceptional. #AVFC

HT: #AVFC 1-0 City Really good game. Tough individual battles across the pitch (good McGinn/Dias tussle and Jackson to benefit from Guehi, seen by the goal). Both sides will surely have more chances. Will require a big physical effort but these are the games Villa have always managed to dig in.

Guehi booked as he takes down Jackson on the edge of the box. City controlling possession but look vulnerable defensively. The foul starts from a typical #AVFC back-to-front move. Kamara, composed, fires the ball into McGinn, in the No 10, who finds Jackson in the left channel.

Emery has worked a lot this season with Alysson on his positioning and duties off the ball. You can see the cogs in his brain whirring, trying to get low when defending Doku and following the correct runs. Lindelof & McGinn talking him through. . #AVFC

Guehi & Dias playing on different sides than usual at CB today. Perhaps Maresca wants the quicker CB (Guehi) to defend 1v1 in that left channel against Jackson. #AVFC

#AVFC want a fast start. Kicking towards the Holte End. Manzambi from the left, McGinn in the 10. Manzambi against Khusanov, who has struggled at RB, a very interesting match-up. Manzambi can roll inside, receiving on the move.

Villa Park plays Zombie by The Cranberries five minutes before kick off. Make no mistake, Johan Manzambi has already captivated #AVFC

#AVFC XI: Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Pau, Maatsen; Kamara, Joao Gomes; Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn; Jackson Manzambi starts

Unai Emery says he will assess Johan Manzambi before training this afternoon to see how he feels and whether he is fine to train ahead of #AVFC's match against Manchester City. Story @theathleticfc.bsky.social

The estimated costs of shutting the North Stand is around £6m. It's being funded by a combined £150m in private placement loans (£90m+£60m). In theory, they can be repaid by the increased income from the revamped stadium. Explaining the build so far - free to read @theathleticfc.bsky.social

Thrilled to be among the winners at the Press 30 under 30 awards this evening!

Taylor Harwood-Bellis is now in #AVFC's Champions League squad due to Matteo Ruggeri's injury. UEFA rules state clubs can temporarily replace one outfield List A player if they are out for at least 60 days. Ruggeri now meets that threshold, so Harwood-Bellis is now available to play.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka to miss at least three weeks with a hamstring injury. 28yo had scans yesterday to show injury extent & timeframe. Johan Manzambi also had MRI test - not serious but impact injury requires rest. Emery confirms Matteo Ruggeri will be out for 2 months. @theathleticfc.bsky.social #AVFC

Emiliano Buendia set to sign a new contract at #AVFC after acceleration in recent talks. Victor Lindelof and George Hemmings are progressing in discussions to extend their respective deals. Hemmings' extension would reflect improved standing in the senior group. Story @theathleticfc.bsky.social

Victor Lindelof is one of Emery's best signings. But he was regarded as a last-minute deal, the final one completed by Monchi. Team-mates praised his professionalism when he wasn't playing. Now they're being shown on the pitch. A clean sheet was a reward for his exceptional performances. #AVFC

Unai Emery says he's confident Taylor Harwood-Bellis will impress when he plays. Why? "Because he watches Victor Lindelof every day." #AVFC

Unai Emery on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Johan Manzambi: "I think its hamstring for (Wan-Bissaka). He played fantastic. Ian Maatsen will come back to join the group this week. “Not clear (on Manzambi). He was tired, he felt something but first check we did is that it's not something big.” #AVFC

FT: Newcastle 0-1 #AVFC Big win. Were not at their best on the ball, perhaps could have made more of Newcastle's lack of shape when they lost the ball, but dug in defensively, even when bodies started to tire. Lindelof was exceptional. Calmness personified. Won everything. Successive PL wins.

Mbaye shoots but narrowly the wrong side of the post. Been very good since he's come on. Really calm stuff from #AVFC - keeping the ball, working the ball from one side to another and getting Mbaye 1v1. Dan Burn has come on up top.

#AVFC playing on the break but more sporadically and are now flagging. Kamara and Mings exhausted. Lindelof trying to rally his defence. Mbaye the out-ball and he's just been clattered by Thiaw. Buendia is up again, basically acting as Emery's assistant at this point, asking for further punishment

Mings has had a dicey few minutes since going to left-back (a version of the position). When they've trialled this before, he has played central and Pau out-wide, with Mings better at defending crosses. Mings holding his right leg but gritting his teeth. Newcastle targeting his side. #AVFC

Pau is on and Mings has gone to left-back. Will need Ibrahim Mbaye to essentially serve as a wing-back. #AVFC

Brilliant from Matty Cash on the recovery, really strong defending to match Osula and then win the tackle. Wan-Bissaka is flagging, so interested to see who would play left-back if he came off.... #AVFC It will be Pau Torres coming on.

Joelinton running everywhere but rarely stopping passes into Buendia or Manzambi. #AVFC happy to let Newcastle try and break them down, knowing it's something they tend to struggle with, but they're having to make blocks.

Last season, Botman followed Rogers everywhere, trying to stop him from turning. Surely Newcastle have to pay similar attention to Manzambi, because he is a problem to basically any team. #AVFC