Aston Villa: Unai Emery was right to call us lazy, says Ezri Konsa

Asked if Emery had called his players lazy privately, Konsa added: “No. The boss is not a big speaker. Sometimes he keeps himself to himself.

“As players, we have been in the game a long time and we know what we need to do. It is down to us at the end of the day. We are on the pitch, not the manager. We have to figure it out for ourselves as well.”

Speaking before Bologna’s visit to Villa Park in the Europa League on Thursday, Emery said he was “angry” after the match against Sunderland.

“I was frustrated and disappointed but when I analysed it I was getting the balance,” said Emery.

“I am demanding and always trying to understand how we can feel stronger. After the match I told the players we have to be more demanding.”

The draw against Sunderland left Villa 18th in the Premier League and winless in their opening five games, out of the Carabao Cup and having scored just one league goal.

Konsa, though, says the club are not in “crisis”.

“I don’t think we are at the stage where we need to have meetings,” he said. “People will talk about crisis meetings and things like that but we have got a great captain in John McGinn, who really takes the lead in stuff like that.

“After the game, he said a few words to keep us going, to keep encouraging us. Look, we haven’t started the season well. We know that. But I’m sure it’s going to go well soon.

“It shows how far we have come over the last three years [that people have criticised Villa’s start to the season]”.