Despite Aston Villa's recent shoot-out loss to Brentford in the Carabao Cup, manager Unai Emery remains optimistic, focusing on the visible improvements in his team's performance. The match, which ended in a 1-1 draw after regulation time, saw Villa knocked out 4-2 on penalties.

Harvey Elliott, a recent loan signing from Liverpool, marked his full debut by scoring Villa's first goal of the season. This ended a goal drought that had plagued the team in their first four Premier League matches. However, Brentford's Aaron Hickey responded with a stunning volley to level the score. In the penalty shoot-out, Brentford goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who had earlier made an error leading to Villa's goal, redeemed himself by saving penalties from John McGinn and Matty Cash. Mikkel Damsgaard then sealed the victory for Brentford, securing their place in the fourth round.

Emery acknowledged the disappointment of the loss but emphasized the positive aspects of the game. He noted improvements in the team's balance, dominance, and chance creation throughout the 90 minutes. "We improved things," Emery said. "We played 90 minutes with good balance to dominate and creating chances." He also highlighted the significance of scoring a goal, a positive step after struggling to find the net in previous matches. "We scored one goal, positive," he added.

Despite the defeat, Emery believes the match was a step in the right direction. "Today is one part of the way," he stated. "Not with the result we wanted but we have to accept it." He acknowledged that there is still considerable work to be done to strengthen the team both defensively and offensively. "There is still a lot of work to do, a lot of practice and matches," he said. "I think we are watching some improvement. Not enough but a lot of things will be positive."

Valdimarsson's performance was particularly noteworthy, especially after he required treatment for a cut above his eye. The young goalkeeper's error led to Villa's goal, but his penalty saves proved crucial in Brentford's victory. "I was pretty scared that my contact lenses had come out – but the eye is good," Valdimarsson told Sky Sports. "A great win. I'm so happy. I maybe should have saved their goal. But very happy with the performance." He also expressed his confidence after saving the first penalty, stating, "When I saved the first penalty, I knew we were going to win it."

Brentford boss Keith Andrews praised Valdimarsson's resilience and ability to bounce back from his earlier mistake. "Goalkeepers are always involved in the moments, aren't they?" Andrews said. "I said at half-time mistakes will happen. I'm OK with that. The reaction I'm really happy with, two great saves in the [shoot-out]."

Looking ahead, Emery remains focused on the process of building a stronger team. He seeks to achieve the right combination of defensive solidity and attacking threat. While acknowledging the need for improvement, Emery remains optimistic about the team's progress and their ability to achieve positive results in the future.