Aston Villa boss Unai Emery backs Tyrone Mings to win England recall

04/28/2023

In-form Tyrone Mings is backed to win an England recall by ‘optimistic’ Aston Villa boss Unai Emery… with centre back eager to re-establish himself having not played for the Three Lions in more than a YEAR

Unai Emery is backing centre back Tyrone Mings to receive an England call-up
Mings hasn’t played a competitive game for the Three Lions since back in 2021
But Aston Villa boss Emery believes he has done enough to get re-selected

Unai Emery has backed Tyrone Mings to earn an England recall thanks to his superb recent form for Aston Villa.

The centre back won the last of his 17 caps against the Ivory Coast last March and missed out on selection for the World Cup in Qatar, where England were knocked out in the quarter-finals by France.

Yet with Villa one of the form teams in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s match at Manchester United, Mings is becoming increasingly difficult for Gareth Southgate to ignore, especially as Villa have kept seven clean sheets in their last 10 matches.

Asked about Mings’ and fellow centre back Ezri Konsa’s international prospects, Emery said: ‘They have to add [these targets] and I am positive and optimistic they can add them.

‘I have clear ideas for the players. We can be better if we are organised and competitive every day, and try to have a strong mentality. Try to improve every day. I am trying to push them and show them where we need to get better.’

Tyrone Mings has impressed for Aston Villa during their quest for Champions League football

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery (right) believes that centre back Mings should be selected for England by Gareth Southgate (left) when the next Three Lions squad is announced

Emery’s first game in charge was a 3-1 win over United at Villa Park last November and they have barely looked back.

When the Spaniard replaced Steven Gerrard, Villa were in relegation trouble. Now they are on course for European football and the Spaniard is fending off questions about Champions League qualification.

‘Champions League is very difficult, maybe impossible,’ Emery conceded, with his side six points behind United, who have two games in hand.

‘We could win our final five games and I still don’t think it would be enough to finish in the top four.

‘Our real chance is to qualify for the Europa League or the Europa Conference League but we have very difficult matches ahead – United, Tottenham, Brighton, Liverpool.

‘But I like to play matches like these – key games at an important part of the season. It’s very positive pressure.’