Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has described Saturday’s Premier League clash against leaders Arsenal as a crucial measure of his team’s ambitions, as the Villans surge to third place in the table.
Villa endured a slow start to the season, collecting just three points and scoring a solitary goal in their first five league matches. However, the side has since hit top form, winning eight of their past nine games and closing the gap to Arsenal to just six points.
Despite Villa’s impressive resurgence, Emery acknowledges that Arsenal remain the clear favourites for the title after their consistently dominant performances this season.
“We now have the really huge opportunity tomorrow to play against Arsenal – the best team until now and, of course, I think the favourites to win this trophy in the Premier League because they are performing and competing fantastic,” Emery said on Friday.
“After our progress, tomorrow is a really huge test. Huge test collectively, huge test individually, and for me as a coach as well, I am delighted to have this opportunity,” he added.
While a Premier League title for Villa their first since 1981 may still seem a stretch, Emery’s side is in contention for a Champions League return next season and also sits joint-top of their Europa League group.
A victory at Villa Park on Saturday would temporarily elevate the team to second place, pending Manchester City’s later fixture against Sunderland.
“Of course, if we are winning we can be more positive for the next matches,” Emery said, stressing the importance of taking the season one match at a time. “But our race is each match and it’s good sometimes to remind ourselves of our experiences before. Two months ago, we were at the bottom, now we are at the top. Maybe, in two months, we can again come back down. This is football and this is the Premier League—the most difficult league.”
Saturday’s encounter promises to be a stern test for Villa, as Emery seeks to prove that his side’s mid-season resurgence can translate into tangible success against the Premier League’s elite.
