"It may be more than six years since Unai Emery left Arsenal but it's hard to escape the feeling that the Spaniard still has an inexorable hold over his former club. Ever since Aston Villa ended a four-match losing streak against them with a 1-0 home win in December 2023, Emery has proved to be a thorn in Mikel Arteta's side."
"Villa's 2-0 victory at the Emirates a few months later ultimately cost Arsenal the title as a relentless Manchester City took advantage by winning their last eight matches. Arsenal had an impressive 2-0 triumph in Birmingham at the start of last season, but Villa's comeback from two goals down to draw 2-2 in January of this year was symptomatic of Arsenal's failure to chase down Liverpool in the title race that never was."
"The Spaniard, who was given only 18 months at the helm after being given the unenviable task of stepping into Arsene Wenger's shoes in 2018, has always insisted that revenge is never on his mind when he comes face to face with his former employers. But as Villa proved in their last-ditch 2-1 victory over Arsenal a few weeks ago, they are now a formidable obstacle that will take some stopping."
Unai Emery's Aston Villa have repeatedly unsettled Arsenal since his departure, delivering decisive victories that altered title outcomes. Villa beat Arsenal 1-0 in December 2023, won 2-0 at the Emirates, and staged a last-ditch 2-1 victory in recent weeks. Villa's comeback to draw 2-2 after trailing two goals in January reflected Arsenal's inability to sustain a title challenge. Villa have equalled a club record of 11 consecutive wins. Arsenal followed their latest defeat with five successive victories, though performances were unconvincing, four of their past six goals were own goals and injuries continue to mount. Gabriel Magalhaes returned as a substitute after six weeks out with a groin injury.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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