Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is set to face Arsenal for an eighth time since leaving the north London club six years ago
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery(Image: Ryan Browne/Shutterstock)
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Unai Emery insists that Saturday’s clash with league leaders Arsenal is just another match, even though Aston Villa could close the gap on his former club to just three points.
Villa enter the game having won eight of their last nine matches, and since the start of March, no Premier League side has recorded more victories.
Arsenal, however, remain one of only two teams to have won at Villa Park in all competitions since the beginning of last season.
This weekend’s meeting will be Emery’s eighth against the Gunners since he left the north London club six years ago.
“Not really, for me, is one match special. Because I played, even when I was in Spain, I played with Villarreal, against them, I played (Arsenal) here many times with Aston Villa,” Emery explained when asked if a win would mean more to him.
“And now, it's something, there are only two players, I think, it’s (Gabriel) Martinelli, one of them, and (Bukayo) Saka, two – I think two players, Martinelli and Saka (remaining). And we signed as a young player, (William) Saliba, but he was on loan when I was there. Only two players.
“Of course, there are workers, as well, there, in the club, but professionals, we know our way, and we can be one year, two years, three years, or hopefully more years, in one team, one club.
“We are professional, and we are changing, and we must focus each moment and to take responsibility. And now, for me, it's Aston Villa, and my focus (is) Aston Villa. Of course, I appreciate a lot, Arsenal, and how they are doing the way, progressing, being very, very demanding, and being passionate as well.
“And I think (Mikel) Arteta, he's doing a really great job. I think you see, he's incredible how he's progressing, being demanding, the values he set there.
“And he has set standards more and more and more, and you can watch, watching their matches, even in the emotion, when they are scoring goals, how they are showing their emotions, and how they are being demanding in everything.
“I think this is the secret he can have there, how he's setting those standards, and the players responding, of course, in the level they have, because they have very good players, and they are more and more and more progressively adding better players, and with the capacity they have economically to buy some players like they are doing.
“And the test we have tomorrow is a huge test because I think he's clearly the favourite this year, clearly the favourite. I think they are competing the best in all the teams in Premier League, the best, the best in competing, I think they are.
“In everything – set pieces, tactically, offensively, defensively, get duels, they are very good in duels as well.
“Of course, they can have some injuries because they are playing in a very high intensity each match, and you are closer to getting injured when you are playing with this intensity.
“And tomorrow is our test, and I am so, so motivated, so, so excited for us because we have now 27 points, and we are tomorrow in the day 15, and of course, two years ago, we performed fantastic, and we were at some points more than this year.”
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