Unai Emery opens up on Aston Villa attacking 'challenge'

The additions of Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio means Emery has a wealth of options in the final third but he must now find a way to knit them together effectively.

Rashford and Asensio, signed on loan from Manchester United and Paris St-Germain respectively, are pushing to make their first starts in Wednesday’s home match with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Emery said: "It's a challenge for me because I have to try to use their individual qualities and skills and align them with their defensive and offensive responsibilities.

"It's a different combination with the players, how they can understand what they need to do when it's Jacob (Ramsey) with Marcus - Marcus with (Ollie) Watkins - Marco with Morgan (Rogers), or Leon (Bailey) or Malen.

"We need to have versatile players within our structure if we are to be as strong as possible, defensively and offensively.

"Then they have to perform and use their skills individually. My challenge is balancing the players collectively and individually.”

Emery has told all his attacking players they must be ready to play in different positions but believes Morgan Rogers may be the most versatile attacker in his squad.

He explained: "Morgan can play very well as a No.10 but he is also very effective when he gets wide on the left side or right side.

"He can even play as a striker because he is intelligent and he has many qualities.”

Emery continued: "He is maybe the most versatile player in our squad.

"More a versatile player - maybe like John McGinn - although McGinn is maybe more of a midfield player than an offensive player.

"Morgan is more of an offensive player than a midfield player.

"But they are the most versatile players I have and they can perform very well in different positions."