Unai Emery was highly regarded upon his arrival in the Premier League. The Spanish coach started his career in the tranquil coastal town of Almeria, guiding its local soccer team from the depths of the second division to a respectable eighth place in Spain’s La Liga. He successfully guided a struggling Valencia team, which included talented players like David Villa, David Silva, and Juan Mata, out of their financial troubles and towards the prestigious Champions League. He achieved success with Sevilla in the Europa League and then moved on to Paris Saint-Germain, where he played a crucial role in the development of a young talent like Kylian Mbappe, while also achieving remarkable success in domestic competitions. When Arsenal made the announcement of their new coach in 2018, it seemed like a logical step forward. It felt like the perfect fit.

Wenger, however, was an exceptional coach, and his exit was far from ordinary. He had been with Arsenal since 1996 and guided the club to remarkable achievements, including the memorable “Invincible” season in 2003-24. He was a dedicated and knowledgeable individual, someone who approached his work with great focus and prioritized his players above all else. He was their go-to guy. And it’s always a challenging task to step into the shoes of a legendary figure.

That’s the pitfall that unfortunate Emery stumbled upon when he joined Arsenal. The club was gradually losing its position among the top teams in the Premier League due to the emergence of Manchester City and a period of unchanging tactics under Wenger (which undeniably had an impact on Emery’s time in charge, even if Arsenal fans are reluctant to acknowledge it.) The atmosphere at the Emirates was gloomy as soon as Emery arrived. His time in charge started with a disappointing 2-0 defeat against City; English supporters, many of whom were unaware of Emery’s impressive past achievements, demanded his dismissal right away. He was let go from the Arsenal position the following November, even though he still had a full year left on his contract. His future in the Premier League appeared to be in jeopardy.

However, Emery’s thoughts were always consumed by his aspirations for another opportunity to showcase his abilities in a different setting. He had his opportunity in the fall of 2022 when Aston Villa, who were just a few points away from the relegation zone, fired coach Steven Gerrard and began searching for a new candidate. We’ll never know exactly what Emery saw in the struggling Villa side he took under his wing, but he definitely saw something special. He managed to guide the team from the bottom of the table to the very top in just a few months.

This Arsenal-Aston Villa match — one that has become known as the Unai Emery Derby — highlights the significant impact that circumstances and personal traits have on top-level coaching. Arsenal is a fantastic club and Emery is an exceptional coach, but their partnership was never quite harmonious. These days, many Arsenal supporters hold a deep affection for Emery. They’re grateful he has returned to the Premier League and even more relieved that he is not back with their team.

With the 2023-24 season coming to an end, this upcoming match between the two teams carries significant importance for both clubs involved. If Arsenal were to suffer a defeat, it would essentially remove itself from contention in the title race. If Aston Villa fails to secure a victory, it will essentially remove itself from contention in the bаttle for the Top Four positions. If the two teams end up with a draw, they will both be disappointed by the missed opportunity to earn points and may still face some rιsks. It seems unlikely that both teams will be satisfied with the outcome. There is a high rιsk of injuries for someone, or even everyone involved. Unai Emery, with his deep passion and admiration for both clubs, is sure to be one of those individuals.

Outcome. Aston Villa emerged victorious in the rematch held in December, thanks to a brilliant goal scored by John McGinn. Can it defy expectations and emerge victorious once more? It seems unlikely, especially considering Villa’s unfortunate circumstances leading up to this game. Playing away from home has proven to be a challenge for Villa this season, and to make matters more difficult, they have two fewer days of rest compared to Arsenal due to their Thursday performance in the Conference League. Furthermore, this team will be missing two crucial members of its midfield for the upcoming match. Boubacar Kamara is unfortunately injured, while Douglas Luiz is serving a suspension. It’s difficult to envision Villa maintaining control of the game without their presence.

Villa’s оffensive capabilities remain strong, despite facing challenging circumstances. The team’s performance against Arsenal in recent years has been quite impressive and it will approach the upcoming match with confidence. A tie seems quite appealing at +475; a victory or tie for Villa seems even more enticing at +250.Scoring by teams. Let me tell you something about Villa: it’s a scoring machine. It racks up and gives away goals in ridiculous amounts against a wide range of adversaries. (It has only managed to keep three clean sheets in the league this year and has only been unable to score on two occasions.) Considering the circumstances, placing a bet on both teams to score at -125 seems like a logical choice.

Player makes successful tackles. Villa has been fielding a 4-4-1-1 formation in recent weeks to accommodate all of its injuries and suspensions. Emery’s lineup may not be what he had in mind, but it has led to some unexpecteԀ outcomes, particularly in Villa’s more аggressive approach to their аttаck. Disregard the tactics of switching balls and utilizing wing play: the Villa squad is focused on directing their attacks straight down the center, relying on McGinn and Watkins.Arsenal, boasting a formidable central defense, should be more than capable of handling this challenge. However, placing a bet on Arsenal defender Gabriel to make multiple tackles seems like a solid decision at +110. He will find himself in the midst of Villa’s attacks and is likely to bring down a few opponents as the game progresses.