In a recent episode of The Gary Neville Podcast, the former Manchester United captain dropped a shocking news, that has left Arsenal supporters shaken. Gary Neville, never one to shy away from bold opinions, ranked Unai Emery as one of the Premier League’s top two managers alongside Pep Guardiola. While he sidelined Mikel Arteta from that elite conversation.
Neville’s Shocking Endorsement of Emery
Neville praised Emery’s impact at Aston Villa for their high league standing. “The reason that Villa are up there… is he’s built a squad over five years,” Neville said. He even added, “Then you’ve got the two best managers in the league in Pep Guardiola and Unai Emery. Moreover, managers make a massive difference, and Unai Emery is one of them.” This glow comes after Villa’s impressive campaign. However, Neville cut off Arteta from every tie.
The Ghosts of Emery’s Arsenal Era
Arsenal fans’ disbelief stems from Emery’s awful 2018-2019 spell. He was removed in November after a winless run, his side went eighth, leaking 34 goals in 20 games. Fast-forward to Arteta, now Arsenal ate just 11 in 25 matches this season, a defensive masterclass under the Spaniard. Emery’s Europa League win couldn’t erase the memory of chaos at the Emirates.
🗣️ Gary Neville: “Arsenal are in a good position. I feel going into February & March, Arsenal will extend their lead, I think they’ll get to five, six points again. I feel it’s their year.” 🏆👀pic.twitter.com/lmxEl2XzZG
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) December 22, 2025
Arteta’s Undeniable Rise
Gary Neville is not entirely removing Arteta with the news of Arsenal. Elsewhere, he is in support of Arsenal to end their title drought, predicting they’ll “convert being top at Christmas into a title.” Arteta’s transformation—from near relegation team to title contenders—has been meticulous. Neville’s podcast feels like a compliment, undervaluing the man who’s rebuilt the club’s identity.
🚨👀#Neville : “That’s a game you can lose—Villa are flying under Emery,Arsenal were without their best centre-back pairing,”
“No need to hit the alarm button,Arteta’s side still have the edge #afc. pic.twitter.com/rw1unpd7jn
— AFCtrey (@afct_rey) December 8, 2025
Fan Fury and the Bigger Picture
Social media filled with memes and rants, fans mentioning Neville’s “delusion.” One tweeted: “Emery over Arteta? Neville’s lost it.” But perhaps this underscores Arteta’s brilliance—he’s proving doubters wrong without the hype.
As featured on GoonerNews.com