Shropshire Star

No down time for Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby

Record buy Moussa Diaby is eager to help fire Villa past AZ Alkmaar tomorrow and toward the Europa Conference League knockout stages.

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Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby

A win for Unai Emery’s team would leave them on the brink of progressing from Group E with two matches to spare.

Diaby has featured only sparingly in the competition so far due to Emery’s rotation policy but is ready to answer the call, should it come.

He said: “I want to play every game. I am a competitor but it is up to the coach whether I play or not. Every player wants to play in every game but it is not always possible. You have to change players sometimes to keep everyone fresh, so we can give more in the Premier League.

“I don’t know yet what plans the coach has for me but I am ready to play Thursday and Sunday if needed.”

Villa host Fulham on Sunday in their final match before the international break and Diaby, who started last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Nottingham Forest, added: “We have to win those two games to gather more points in each of those competitions. But it’s not easy.

“The result (at Forest) was not good but the fans must believe in us to continue in this way and we’ll try to win every game.