Aston Villa will be joining Arsenal in the Champions League next season after sealing their status before the Premier League finale.
Unai Emery’s side went into the final day of the season knowing that they had nothing to play for against Crystal Palace.
It didn’t help matters that a further injury-hit Aston Villa team proceeded to lose 5-0 at Selhurst Park, but the most important thing is that Champions League football and that fourth spot was already sealed.
The same can’t be said for Arsenal who went into the final day hoping for a miracle and to win the Premier League title ahead of the all-dominant Manchester City.
Inside 18 minutes, all of that was put to bed when the Premier League’s Player of the Year, Phil Foden, who pipped Ollie Watkins to the award, netted himself a brace and helped Pep Guardiola win a fourth consecutive title.
After the game, the inquest began as to where Arsenal fell short and what was the reason behind them not becoming champions of England.
Thierry Henry was quick to fire in the name of Aston Villa and those two defeats they suffered at Villa Park and the Emirates.
The legendary striker was keen to focus on Emery’s men because they were the only team to do the double over Arsenal and the only side the Gunners didn’t score against this term, as he told Premier League Productions (19/05/24 at 6:25 pm).
Henry explained how Arsenal managed to beat Manchester City and then not lose at the Etihad, but against another top-four side, they failed to even leave a mark.
Unai Emery costs Arsenal the Premier League title
“We did something that we didn’t do for a very long time and that’s beat Manchester City this year, they did,” said Henry about Arsenal losing out on the title.
“They did beat Manchester City and they didn’t lose at Manchester City. They didn’t concede a goal at Manchester City. That’s why people were saying for a long time, you want to face Manchester City, you want to beat them, you want to be ahead of them, then you have to beat them.
“Well, they did. But we lost twice against Villa without scoring a goal. Top four team also. West Ham at home, but Villa. I know I am focusing on Villa. We lost 1-0 there and 2-0 at home. It’s not only beating Man City that will win you the title. You have to be consistent for a very long time. This year I would like to say that we didn’t have a run in the cup. Man City were playing in the cup. We didn’t play in a cup.”
Aston Villa will be a target next season
Villa have laid down the mark. The season didn’t end how fans wanted it to, but this now makes the club a massive target for next season.
The likes of Arsenal, regardless of what Villa do or where they are at when they play each other, will go at the Midlands club like they are their title rivals next season.
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This is what the club now have to prepare for. If you want to be part of the elite, then fight to stay there because many teams are now going to be gunning down on the players.
That’s why it’s pivotal that the club gets its transfers right, with suggestions that former loanee Ross Barkley, who was at Luton Town this season, could be the first name through the door on a free transfer.
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