Emery on revenge mission as Villa eye double over former club Arsenal

Unai Emery returns to Arsenal on Tuesday with his Aston Villa side positioned to severely dent his former club’s Premier League title ambitions.

Emery, dismissed by Arsenal in 2019, has orchestrated a dramatic transformation at Villa, guiding them from relegation concerns to within three points of the league summit. An 11-match winning streak across all competitions, their longest since 1914, was extended with a 2-1 comeback victory at Chelsea on Saturday.

“We are third in the league behind Arsenal and Manchester City. Wow,” Emery said after the win at Stamford Bridge, secured by a second-half tactical change and two goals from substitute Ollie Watkins, who praised his manager’s “tactical genius.”

The match pits Emery against a club he has frequently bested since his departure, losing only twice in ten encounters with Arsenal while managing Paris Saint-Germain, Villarreal, and Villa. A 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium last April significantly damaged Arsenal’s title challenge.

While few expect Villa to sustain a title challenge against the financial and squad depth of Arsenal and Manchester City over the full season, their rise under Emery is clear. The club has qualified for European competition for three consecutive seasons following a 13-year absence and pushed PSG close in last season’s Champions League quarter-finals.

Arsenal, who suffered their only defeat in 24 matches across all competitions at Villa Park earlier this month, remain locked in a tight three-way title race.

A victory for Emery’s team would further validate their progress and tighten the standings at the top.