Why does Emery not start Abraham?

[BBC] The role of forward Tammy Abraham under Unai Emery has been the subject of several questions sent in via our Aston Villa Ask Me Anything form , with some of you wondering why he does not get more starts. The short answer is Abraham has not done enough to convince the manager he is worthy of a regular starting spot. Villa needed a striker in January and since Abraham was available for a decent price and knew the club - something which was crucial for Emery - he was seen as a good option and he returned to the West Midlands, following his 2018-19 loan from Chelsea , for £18.25m from Besiktas. It was a positive move for the 28-year-old too because, at the time, he felt being back in the Premier League would give him a better chance of an England recall. But just three goals in 16 appearances last season was not enough to prove to Emery he was able to deliver on a regular basis - so much so that the head coach was willing to let Abraham leave this summer, with the forward rejecting Ipswich and Everton . Abraham has been happy at Villa and BBC Sport reported in July he was not looking to leave and wanted to fight for his place. Therefore, Emery issued a challenge to him now the window has closed: show me you can improve and do what I need. Nicolas Jackson is first choice and when Brian Madjo is back from injury Abraham could be third choice, so it will be an interesting few months before the winter window. Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions. We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do. Find out more here