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EMERY PLANS TO HAND ARSENAL BLOODY NOSE
The Straits Times
|December 30, 2025
LONDON - Unai Emery returns to the scene of one of his few managerial failures on Dec 30, aiming to land a huge blow to former club Arsenal's ambitions of a first English Premier League title in 22 years.
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Unai Emery has a good record against Arsenal, losing only twice in 10 meetings against them during spells at PSG, Villarreal and Aston Villa.
(REUTERS)
Dismissed by the Gunners in 2019 just over a year after succeeding Arsene Wenger, Emery’s second spell in English football has been a very different story.
The Spaniard has awoken a sleeping giant in Villa, transforming the Birmingham-based club from battling relegation to contending for their first topflight league title since 1981.
An impressive 2-1 win at Chelsea on Dec 27 extended Villa’s winning run in all competitions to 11 - their longest streak of victories since 1914.
That form has taken Emery’s men to within three points of Arsenal at the top of the table, despite failing to win any of their opening five league matches of the season.
This story is from the December 30, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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