Unai Emery has demanded the "best level" from his squad, as Aston Villa return to Villa Park still in search of their first Premier League win of the season.

The Villans were held to a 1-1 draw against 10-man Sunderland in the league last time out, having surrendered a one-goal lead, but claimed that elusive first victory of the season on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Bologna in the Europa League.

Emery's side will be hoping their win in Europe is a catalyst for changes in fortune, having registered only 12 shots on target in the league this season — the joint-lowest tally alongside Everton and Leeds.

The draw at the Stadium of Light meant that Villa have started a league season without a win in their first five matches (three draws, two defeats) for only the fourth time in the club's history, and Emery is keen to avoid extending that run.

"Of course, the win we did yesterday is coming fantastic to feel confidence, not completely, because we need to continue improving and getting points through (the) Premier League," Emery said during his pre-match press conference. 

"On Sunday, we are going to play Premier League, the sixth day, and of course at home again playing with our supporters, we are very, very motivated.

"How we are building the team and how we built in the past and the players we have now joining us the last transfer window, progressively getting better and knowing us tactically and individually as well, with our idea and task.

"We will want to see them playing and getting confidence, getting minutes, and hopefully on Sunday against Fulham we can get our best, and performing with the demands we have, and through it, getting the result we need.

"We must be demanding, firstly, each one with our responsibility to try to focus, to train, getting our best level, and then of course, the players around or the coaches around, we must be responsible to help them."

Meanwhile, Fulham are looking for their third consecutive win in all competitions, having beaten Brentford 3-1 in a West London derby in the league last week, before following up with a 1-0 win over League Two side Cambridge United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

The Cottagers have succumbed to defeat just once all season, a controversial 2-0 loss to Chelsea, with Marco Silva's side proving a difficult side to beat.

"It's a massive, massive one for us," Silva said.

"We come from back-to-back wins – okay, they were both at home, but it's very difficult to achieve these type of things in the Premier League, and to have a chance to go and to fight to have the third one is massive for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa – John McGinn

McGinn led by example on Thursday, netting the only goal of the game during Villa's 1-0 win. That goal means that only Peter Withe (nine) and Gary Shaw (eight) have scored more goals in major European competitions for Villa than the Scottish midfielder (seven).

McGinn is also the first Villa player to find the net in three different major European tournaments — the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.

However, despite his goal contributions in Europe, the Scotland international has scored just once in his last 39 Premier League appearances for the club, and will be looking to replicate his European form domestically. 

Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz

Muniz has averaged a goal involvement every 136 minutes in the Premier League for Fulham, with 18 goals and three assists in 2,866 minutes of action.

Among players to feature for over 1,000 minutes for the club, only Erik Nevland has registered contributions more frequently, at one every 123 minutes.

MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN

Villa have dominated recent meetings with Fulham, winning seven of the last eight in the Premier League, including five straight since a 3-0 loss in October 2022. The Villans last recorded six league victories in a row over one opponent when they beat rivals Birmingham City between 2005 and 2010.

Fulham's recent record away has not made for pretty viewing, having taken just one win from their last 21 league trips to Villa Park (seven draws, 13 defeats), losing six on the bounce since a 2-1 success in April 2014.

Historically, Silva has also struggled in this fixture, losing six of his seven Premier League encounters with Villa — more defeats (86% loss rate) than against any other side he has faced at least five times.

This season, Villa's attacking output has dipped, averaging only 2.4 shots on target per game, their lowest figure since records began in 1997-98, and down from 4.5 last term.

Fulham arrive in form, however, having beaten Leeds United and Brentford in succession, and are chasing three straight league wins for the first time since their run from December 2022 to January 2023, despite already stringing together eight separate back-to-back victories since then.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Aston Villa – 54.5%

Draw – 23.4%

Fulham – 22.1%