Emery returns to haunt Arsenal

Unai Emery returns to former club Arsenal with Aston Villa’s title charge gathering pace

Unai Emery returns to the scene of one of his few managerial failures on Tuesday, aiming to land a huge blow to former club Arsenal’s ambitions of a first Premier League title for 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 league title since 1981. An impressive 2-1 win at Chel­sea on Saturday 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 six 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 Saturday.

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.

After a 13-year absence from Europe, including a three-year spell in the second-tier Cham­pionship, the Villains have qual­ified for continental competition for the past three seasons. 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 this month, 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 Mikel 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 only 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 Arsenal 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.