Southampton vs Aston Villa

saints / 41
THE BOSS:
UNAI EMERY
SPANISH / AGE: 51
Aston Villa’s appointment of Unai Emery was a sign of the club’s
ambition. Emery is a European specialist, having won the Europa
League three seasons in a row at Sevilla before lifting the trophy
again with Villarreal when they beat Manchester United in 2021. The
Spanish club also reached last year’s Champions League semi-finals
under Emery. Emery returned to England with something of a point to
prove following his sacking by Arsenal in 2019. His 18-month stint at
the Emirates has been painted as a failure, but tasked with following
Arsène Wenger, Arsenal finished fifth in his full season in charge,
and he led the Gunners to the Europa League final where they lost
to Chelsea. A former midfielder as a player, Emery’s management
career began in his native Spain in 2004 with Lorca Deportiva. He later
enjoyed league and cup success with Paris Saint-Germain prior to his
arrival at Arsenal.
ONE TO WATCH:
EMILIANO MARTÍNEZ
ARGENTINIAN / AGE: 30
A World Cup winner with Argentina last month where he performed
heroics in the penalty shootout victory over France, Emiliano Martínez
is now in his third season at Villa Park. The towering goalkeeper ended
a 10-year association with Arsenal to move to Villa in September
2020, lifting the FA Cup in his final act as a Gunner. The colourful
character had joined Arsenal from Independiente, but his first-team
appearances in north London were interspersed with six spells out
on loan. Martínez, who saved a penalty on his Premier League debut
for Villa, played every minute of his first campaign with the club and
was named Player of the Season at the end of that term. He kept 11
clean sheets last season and has three to his name in 17 appearances
this time around. Capped 26 times by his country, he won the Golden
Glove in Qatar.
Ten-year record:
11 th
15 th 15 th
premier
league
CHAMPIONSHIP
17 th
20 th
13 th
17 th
12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22
4 th
5 th
14 th