Aston Villa captain John McGinn has opened up about advice he received from boss Unai Emery.

The Spanish head coach came into the club last season and told McGinn to watch Villarreal midfielder Manu Trigueros.

He felt that the Scotland international would be able to boost his quality in attack and defense this way.

"I think I know him inside out now," McGinn told TNT Sports.

"He was a big player for Villarreal under the manager, and spent a lot of time with an individual coach.

"He was playing a lot of through balls and said the manager used to hate him for it, but he played them every game, because he was trying to understand the system.

“He was flexible. Sometimes Trigueros would play as a six, or wide, or upfront."