THE UNAI WAY IS UP

Emery and Villa have both come a long way since Spaniard's ill-fated spell at Arsenal

- BY JOHN TOWNLEY AND RICHARD CAWTE

WHEN Unai Emery took charge of Arsenal on May 23 2018, there was equal excitement at Villa Park, too.

Not for the appointment of a manager at a different club, of course.

Aston Villa were a Championship side, preparing to go to Wembley three days later for the playoff final and the chance to return to the Premier League.

For Villa, it was not to be their moment (below). For Emery, his reign at Arsenal was over 21 months later.

By the time Arsenal sacked Emery in November 2019, Villa were a topflight club again, having returned to Wembley the following season and beaten Derby.

In north London, out went Emery, in came Mikel Arteta.

And at lunchtime today they meet in a match which has title all over it.