Aston Villa shocked Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon as Unai Emery’s side won 2-0 in the Premier League, seeing the manager earn a host of praise for one thing he did against his former club.
It was a joyous day for Aston Villa at the Emirates, as Unai Emery walked away from his old home with three points to shake up the title race.
The Villans had to be patient to exert their prowess on the Gunners, striking twice late on to determine the direction of the points thanks to goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins.
While the two well-worked goals will get the attention, the entire performance of the squad as a whole was impeccable, on a day that saw Villa reclaim fourth place to return to the top four after Spurs’ defeat.
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Emery has done the double over his former club this season, winning at Villa Park and now at the Emirates, with Alan Shearer loving one element of the Spaniard’s day in North London yesterday.
What Unai Emery did that Alan Shearer loved during Aston Villa win over Arsenal
At the start of BBC Match of the Day’s analysis of the thrilling 2-0 victory, Shearer was quick to point out one moment from Emery that he loved during the contest.
When reviewing the manager’s celebration after Bailey’s opening goal, Shearer said:
“I absolutely love this. Forget about this not celebrating against your former club nonsense.”
“It’s a tactical masterclass from him and he’s done the double over his old club. What a job he’s doing and what a season they’re having Aston Villa.”
Considering the terms that Emery left Arsenal on, it’s always a special occasion for the four-time Europa League winner to beat the Gunners after being dismissed after 18 months in charge.
Things are certainly going better for the 52-year-old at Villa after that timespan than how they were at Arsenal, with a Champions League place in their sights and still the opportunity to claim European silverware this season.
Unai Emery has had a remarkable time at Aston Villa so far
Shearer epitomised what Emery achieved against his former club on Sunday, dubbing it a ‘tactical masterclass’ that in the second half, truly got the best of Mikel Arteta.
As mentioned, Villa had to be patient as Arsenal threatened consistently in the first half however, when the coast was clear, the visitors pounced to score two goals against the Gunners to win the game.
Considering that before the fixture, Arteta’s side had conceded just four goals in the Premier League in 2024, it was a remarkable display from Emery’s side, who were the rightful winners on the day.
Now, the Spaniard will hope to build some form once more in what will be a thrilling final five games for the Villans, who could make their Champions League dream a reality by May.
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