'Some doubts' - Unai Emery makes Aston Villa team selection admission ahead of AZ Alkmaar clash

Unai Emery still hasn't decided his on his starting XI to face AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night in the Europa Conference League. Aston Villa are looking to bounce back from a surprise Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League over the weekend.

Emery's men are in a decent position in their Conference League group, but they still have work to do with three games remaining, currently three points ahead of Zrinjski and AZ Alkmaar, and with a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over the Dutch side at this point, they face them again on Thursday night, this time at Villa Park.

Though, While Villa would like to win the Conference League this season, they must balance their European efforts with their efforts to qualify for the Champions League through the Premier League, currently sitting fifth, which may well be enough.

Rotations may be likely on Thursday night as a result, but not even Emery is sure of the team is going to play just yet. "For tomorrow, I have some doubts. I am not really clear on the starting XI," he said in his pre-match press conference. "It is not because I have doubts with players, but because I want to be clinical in my decision."

Speaking about rotations, the Spaniard added: "I want to try to use every player and I am going to be very demanding not only with the players in the starting XI. He continued: "I respect them (AZ Alkmaar) a lot. They are winning a lot of matches in their league and will try to win."

Many fans have wanted to see more of summer signing Youri Tielemans this season, with the Belgian yet to start a Premier League game, and asked if the Conference League would be a good chance to give Tielemans minuted, Emery said: "He is a very good player, he has experiences [in Europe] and he is progressing better."