Arteta makes a surprising statement about his predecessor and Villa boss Unai Emery

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has surprised many by praising his predecessor and current Aston Villa manager Unai Emery ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Aston Villa this weekend. Arteta spoke highly of Emery and his coaching staff, giving them credit for turning things around at Aston Villa.

“Huge credit to them, huge credit to Unai and the coaching staff for what they’ve done,” Arteta told Arsenal Media. “They’ve turned things around, the way they play, they’re going to be a really tough opponent. It’s a great place to go, one of my favourite grounds, a very English ground and a great atmosphere to play football in, so it’s going to be a big chance for us.”

Arteta’s praise comes as Arsenal currently sit in 1st position on the Premier League table with 36 points after 15 league games in the 2023/24 campaign. Their recent game was a thrilling 4-3 victory against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. Their next challenge will be facing Aston Villa at Villa Park on December 9th.

Aston Villa are currently in third place with 32 points, making this upcoming match an important one for both teams. Arteta also acknowledged the competitiveness of the league and emphasized that Aston Villa fully merit their current position.

“It shows the quality of the league,” Arteta said. “Last year there were others and it shows the competitiveness and difficulty to be up there but they fully merit where they are.”

With both teams performing well this season, the clash between Arsenal and Aston Villa promises to be an exciting and closely contested match.