Unai Emery and surging Aston Villa have score to settle with Arsenal
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Aston Villa's Spanish manager Unai Emery reacting during the 2-1 English Premier League win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London on Dec 27, 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Unai Emery returns to the scene of one of his few managerial failures on Dec 30, aiming to land a huge blow to former club Arsenal’s ambitions of a first English Premier League title in 22 years.
Dismissed by the Gunners in 2019 just over a year after succeeding Arsene Wenger, Emery’s second spell in English football has been a very different story.
The Spaniard has awoken a sleeping giant in Villa, transforming the Birmingham-based club from battling relegation to contending for their first top-flight league title since 1981.
An impressive 2-1 win at Chelsea on Dec 27 extended Villa’s winning run in all competitions to 11 – their longest streak of victories since 1914.
That form has taken Emery’s men to within three points of Arsenal at the top of the table, despite failing to win any of their opening five league matches of the season.
“We are competing very well. We are third in the league behind Arsenal and Manchester City. Wow,” said Emery after he masterminded a second-half turnaround at Stamford Bridge on Dec 27.
Villa were outclassed by the Blues and trailing 1-0 until a triple substitution on the hour mark changed the game.
Ollie Watkins came off the bench to score twice and hailed his manager’s change of system as “tactical genius” afterwards.
Few believe Villa will still be able to last the course against the far greater riches and squad depth of Arsenal and City over the course of 20 more games.
But a title challenge is just the next step on an upward trajectory since Emery took charge just over three years ago.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, however, is not taking Villa lightly as title rivals. He said on Dec 29: “Well, they’re meant to be there, look what they are doing and how consistent they’ve been, what Unai has done with the club.
“So I think they fully deserve that credit because they are doing it on the pitch, where you have to show your level.”
After a 12-season absence from Europe, including a three-season spell in the second-tier Championship, Villa have qualified for continental competition for the past three seasons. They are now joint top of the Europa League table after five games.
Paris Saint-Germain were on the ropes at Villa Park in April but escaped to win a thrilling Champions League quarter-final 5-4 on aggregate, before going on to win the competition for the first time.
Arsenal also left Birmingham beaten earlier in December, their only defeat in their last 24 games in all competitions.
However, Emery getting the upper hand over his former employers is a common occurrence.
The 54-year-old has lost just twice in 10 meetings against Arsenal during spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Villarreal and Villa, including a 2-0 win at the Emirates in April 2024 that ultimately cost Arteta’s men the title.
Even Emery’s ill-fated 18 months in north London were far from disastrous with the benefit of hindsight. He inherited a club in decline during Wenger’s final years but narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in his sole full season in charge and reached the Europa League final.
Arsenal’s loss has been to Villa’s advantage.
For now Villa remain the outsiders in a three-horse race, but inflicting another bloody nose to the title favourites will silence any doubters that Emery’s men are serious contenders. AFP
