In Focus: Torres turning a corner after difficult Villa debut

Pau Torres experienced a baptism of fire on his Premier League debut.

The Aston Villa centre-back — signed from Villarreal last month — was introduced as a substitute against Newcastle, trailing 2-1 after Tyrone Mings sustained a serious knee injury.

Villa went on to lose 5-1 at a raucous St James' Park, with questions being asked of their defensive display.

But a 4-0 win over Everton last weekend eased some of those concerns ahead of today's game against Burnley, where Torres will be eager to impress boss Unai Emery once again.

Pass master

Torres completed more passes than any other Villa player in the win against the Toffees (71).

The Spain international also boasted an impressive accuracy of 89.87% and looked exceptionally composed when playing out from the back.

That ability with the ball at his feet is exactly why Emery brought him to Villa Park.

Torres does not just keep it simple either, attempting a team-high eight long passes and playing searching balls into more advanced areas of the pitch.

Solid display

Though he is often praised for his technical attributes, Torres is an accomplished defender too.

He completed more clearances (three) and won more aerial duels (two) than any other Villa player in the victory over Sean Dyche's strugglers.

And he was part of a Villans defence that restricted the Merseysiders to an xG of just 0.87 last Sunday.

Room for improvement

Of course, Torres still has room for improvement, as Emery alluded to after the morale-boosting win.

The Basque boss said: "We can help him and we have to be together to try to take a strong structure with the ball, without the ball, offensively and defensively, trying to use each quality to help the team.

"He has very big qualities to build up with the ball but he has to improve being more strong defensively as well in the contact with the duels.

"But he knows and we are trying to help him, to support him to improve it."

Familiar face

If there is one coach who can help Torres adjust quickly to the Premier League it is Emery, who worked with the defender at Villarreal.

And the 26-year-old has been full of praise for his manager.

Speaking last week, he said: "I know Unai Emery well. I know his way to work and coach. He's a leader.

"He knows how to bring out the best of every player and that includes me. So when he told me about the project [at Aston Villa], I was really happy with it.

"With Unai, every player knows their job in detail in every game. So we prepare very well and it makes every player confident, whatever the opposition."

Time to impress

A trip to newly-promoted Burnley is next up for Villa and their supporters will no doubt be looking forward to seeing Torres back in action.

The 23-cap international is about as attack-minded as centre-backs come, ranking inside LaLiga's top 10 players for progressive passes made last season (197).

It will certainly be fascinating to watch Torres' development in Emery's exciting Villa team and a fiercely contested Premier League.