Eddie Howe thankful Unai Emery turned down Newcastle United job
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Eddie Howe's Newcastle side are third in the English Premier League.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will face off against his Aston Villa counterpart Unai Emery on Saturday as both teams chase European football next season, but the Englishman admits he owes a debt of gratitude to his Spanish rival.
The Magpies hierarchy had in November 2021 offered Emery the opportunity to replace then-manager Steve Bruce
The former Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla boss had looked set to return to the English Premier League but was convinced by Villarreal’s management to remain in situ. He proceeded to guide them to the Champions League semi-finals in 2021-22.
In the face of that rejection, Newcastle’s new Saudi owners offered Howe the post, and he’s made the most of that opportunity.
The 45-year-old comfortably steered them away from the drop last season and this term guided them to a League Cup final and a potential return to the Champions League proper for the first time since 2002-03.
With Emery returning to England in November to oversee a revival for sixth-placed Villa,
Said Howe: “Without a doubt it was (life-changing for me).
“Do I allow myself to go back? No, I don’t really. Maybe I should. I very rarely tend to go back. I always believe that your life sort of takes the journey it’s supposed to go on and I was due to come here.
“But obviously I’m here because Unai turned the job down and I’m delighted that he did. Fate has a strange way of working... Thankfully he made that decision.”
The former Bournemouth manager’s appointment has worked out well for Newcastle, with the cashed-up side third in the table, ahead of the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.
The Magpies are chasing their sixth straight win and have been boosted by the availability of top scorer Miguel Almiron and midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
Paraguayan Almiron sustained a thigh injury in March but has returned to training ahead of schedule and will face a late fitness test. Guimaraes suffered an ankle issue during the warm-up ahead of last week’s 2-1 win over Brentford
Bruno Guimaraes is fit to feature against Villa.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Winger Allan Saint-Maximin is out with a hamstring injury and Howe said there were no issues with fellow wide man Anthony Gordon after his tetchy reaction to being substituted against the Bees.
Said Howe: “We’ve had a conversation. His enthusiasm, aggression, motivation levels are really, really high... In certain moments he needs a cool head as well... I’ve got no issue with him at all.
“Take that aggression away from him, he’s not the same player. He needs that, he just needs a little bit of refining around the edges.”
Like Newcastle, Villa also go into the match in a rich vein of form, winning six of their last seven matches and drawing the other.
They will be without the injured Leon Bailey, Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash but have an in-form striker in Ollie Watkins, who has scored in nine of their last 11 league matches.
