Donyell Malen (£5.1m) scored twice as Aston Villa downed Burnley 2-1 on Sunday.
Here are our Scout Notes from Villa Park.
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MALEN CENTRAL
Donyell Malen proved the difference for Aston Villa on Sunday, as Unai Emery’s side secured their fourth successive win in all competitions.
The Dutch international slotted home the first from Boubacar Kamara’s (£4.9m) sumptuous pass.
He later added a second, having been picked out in the box by the influential Morgan Rogers (£6.9m). It wasn’t quite a carbon copy of the first, but not far off.
Against Burnley, Malen played as a second striker, providing support to Ollie Watkins (£8.7m).
It freed him up to play centrally and, importantly, much closer to the goal.
With Matty Cash (£4.6m) providing the necessary width and John McGinn (£5.4m) contributing additional support down the right, Emery’s tactical plan worked a treat.
“With Malen, he played more central and not defending on the right. We wanted to get the structure and John McGinn helped to play lower. Really, Malen played fantastic and he felt comfortable. He felt like he was in the position to help exploit his qualities. We are thinking in our structure and then adapting of them. We were trying to get one player to attack aggressively in behind. If we can get Malen close to the box, he has qualities and is a fast player to shoot and he is clinical. Today he showed it.
“He was not getting physically some matches before, like against Sunderland and Feyenoord he had an action like today. Getting confidence and trying to give them positions on the field where they are really feeling better to exploit their qualities. Today he got it. Our demands are high demands. He always works well and has a commitment to try his best is there. Sometimes he performs better or worse. I spoke to him yesterday about the position I wanted him in today. He is one player more to help Watkins get to the opponent box. He did fantastic. The most important thing, like with Watkins not scoring, he still did his work.” – Unai Emery on Donyell Malen
Above: Aston Villa’s average position map v Burnley, featuring Donyell Malen (No 17)
WATKINS SUBBED EARLY/BOGARDE ‘OOP’
With Malen on a hat-trick, Emery chose to substitute Watkins instead, as the England international lasted only 66 minutes at Villa Park.
He’d previously squandered a decent chance to double Villa’s lead, shooting over from close range.
Villa’s form is starting to pick up, but with fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur (a), Manchester City (h) and Liverpool (a) after the international break, those who still own Watkins will surely be looking to move him on.
As for Rogers, he looked much sharper than in recent weeks. It’s now back-to-back assists for the 23-year-old.
Elsewhere, £4.0m defender Lamare Bogarde impressed in central midfield, with Emery singling him out for praise in his post-match interview.
“He has reacted fantastically and he is playing with confidence. He is adding us one player more as a midfielder and a centre-back. I think his best position is a midfielder.” – Unai Emery on Lamare Bogarde
On the injury front, Amadou Onana (£4.8m) and Ross Barkley (£4.8m) both made their respective returns as substitutes, but Emiliano Buendia (£5.3m) was forced off with a head injury late on.
CREATIVE HARTMAN
Burnley are yet to win a single point away from home in 2025/26, having conceded a league-worst 13 goals while playing on the road.
Quilindschy Hartman (£4.0m) is still finding ways to impress, however.
It was his excellent cross on Sunday that found substitute Lesley Ugochukwu (£5.0m), who powerfully directed his header into the net.
Hartman now boasts two assists in two matches, and he notably ranks joint-third among all Fantasy defenders for chances created over the last four Gameweeks (see below).
He’s also joint-fourth in his position for expected assists (xA) during this period, with Leeds United (h) and Wolverhampton Wanderers (a) next up after the international break.
Elsewhere, Jaidon Anthony (£5.7m) had an early shot blocked but was largely ineffective and substituted off on 59 minutes, while central midfielders Josh Cullen (£5.0m) and Florentino Luis (£5.0m) both claimed defensive contribution (DefCon) points.
Florentino has now hit the DefCon threshold in each of his three starts for Burnley.
Hjalmar Ekdal (£4.0m), meanwhile, was absent from the matchday squad, with Scott Parker’s post-match interviews failing to elicit an answer on his whereabouts.
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