Unai Emery gives one-word verdict on Arsenal and issues warning to Mikel Arteta – ‘that’s my goal’ | OneFootball

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has praised Arsenal for the season they are having, but the former Gunners boss has warned Mikel Arteta that he plans to win the Premier League title with the Villans.

Arsenal have reached the final of the Champions League this season and will face 2024/25 European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners are also set to win the Premier League title for the first time since 2004.

Arsenal have a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table.

Man City, though, have a game in hand, but Arsenal still have the destiny in their own hands.

Like Liverpool, Aston Villa, too, are having a wonderful campaign, with the Villans assured of a place in the Premier League top five.

Emery has also guided Villa to the final of the Europa League, where they will face German club Freiburg.

Ahead of the final on Wednesday evening, Emery has given an extensive interview to AS, where he has spoken about his former club Arsenal and his desire to eventually win the Premier League title.

The Spaniard credited Arsenal’s “tremendous” season and wants Villa to eventually get ahead of the Gunners and Man City and win the title.

Unai Emery on Arsenal and Aston Villa

Emery said about leading Villa to the Champions League for the second time since his arrival at Villa Park: “Thank you, yes. The truth is, I’m satisfied with the progress we’re making.

“The Premier League is very demanding. We’re competing with the teams that are considered favourites to be at the top.

“We’re seeing Arsenal having a tremendous season, and Manchester City, who have dominated the Premier League for the last few years and played at a very high level, so competing against them is very demanding.

“Then we have Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle…

“You could say they’re the seven main teams, and this is the fourth year we’ve been able to compete with them, finishing above some of them, and in Europe, in the Champions League.

“I’m really satisfied, but at the same time, I feel a lot of pressure to maintain this.

“It hasn’t been easy. At the beginning, I was worried.

“After the first month and the first five games, being in last place, I got worried. I even thought about relegation.”

The Villa manager continued: “The merit we have, or that we must establish, is being able to repeat it over time.

“Ten years ago, there was a team like Leicester City that won the league here, above all those other teams. This year, unfortunately, they’ve been relegated to League One.

“So, we at Aston Villa, with this project I joined, along with Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (owners of the V Sports group), came to be able to grow sustainably and maintain our position.

“That’s what gives me the most satisfaction right now: being a team capable of competing naturally with the big teams these past few years.

“Close to Arsenal and Manchester City without quite reaching them, and close to Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle, but even above them.

“The next step, if we can be consistent, would be to be able to do something similar to what Leicester did, or come close. But with sustainability in mind.

“That’s the Aston Villa project, the one that demands the most, earns the most recognition, and carries the greatest responsibility.

“It’s something I’ve felt since we arrived here three and a half years ago.”

When asked about winning the Premier League title with Villa, Emery said: “We have to set ourselves dreams and make those dreams a reality.

“What we’re doing here might have been a dream when I arrived three and a half years ago, and now it’s a reality.

“Being able to reach Europe, reach the Champions League, play in the Champions League quarterfinals, play in a Europa League final like we’re going to…

“And also being able to be in those privileged positions in the league. We had two years, until December, where we were able to compete with Arsenal and Manchester City.

“We did it two years ago and we did it again this year… until December!

“Logically, given the potential of Arsenal and Manchester City, we haven’t been able to maintain that level.

“I will continue working so that we can keep improving the team, keep improving our competitive level, and so that we can stay close to Arsenal and Manchester City for longer. That’s my goal.

“In football, the goal of being able to compete at those levels is also to be able to compete for titles.

“So, the title we’re going to compete for, the first final that we’re going to compete in the Europa League, something we’ve been doing since we arrived here at Aston Villa.

“It makes us proud and also gives us a sense of reality. The reality of the moment and of our growth.”