“It’s one of the toughest places to go” : Mikel Arteta speaks ahead of tricky trip to Villa Park
Mikel Arteta and co. started off with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Wolves in their opening game of the 2024/2025 Premier League season. The Gunners are now set to face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, but the alarm bells may be ringing due to the horrors of the past season.
Arsenal was all but set to win their first Premier League title after two decades last season, but two successive defeats to Aston Villa along with a goalless draw against Manchester City at the Etihad made the Gunners slip up yet again, with Pep Guardiola obviously grabbing the opportunity with both hands to go four for four. A win against Unai Emery would have granted Mikel Arteta glory, but the team was ultimately unable to capitalize home and away.
In the pre-match press conference at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, the Spainard was asked about how he would manage the team against his fellow Spanish manager this time around, and why they were unsuccessful in the previous season, to which Arteta had a simple yet tactical response, while also giving credits to Villa.
“They scored and we didn’t, it’s very simple. In two games we had an enormous amount of chances to do that, and that was the big difference. There were other details for sure which we have analysed, and we will have to do better tomorrow because they are a really good side with a good coach. They dominate every aspect of the game, when you give them space to run they are phenomenal, when there is no space and they have to find it they can do that. In any restarts or set-pieces, they are at it, and that’s why they did what they did,” said the 42-year-old (via Arsenal.com).
“It’s one of the toughest places to go for sure. We know that, we’ve prepared really well to understand what we have to do to go there and win the game.” Arteta on playing against Villa away so early in the season.
Mikel Arteta on the importance of getting a result against Unai Emery
The careers of Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery are somewhat intertwined, due to the Arsenal connection. Emery was Arteta’s predecessor, managing the club from May 2018 to November 2019, a difficult time to say the least, as he was succeeding the legacy left by the great Arsene Wenger. After a disappointing year and half, he was eventually replaced by Mikel Arteta, who has completely revamped the club five years in the making.
Both the Spaniards share a close professional relationship with mutual respect for each other, but after Emery’s double over Arteta last season, the Arsenal manager was asked if he had any personal score to settle.
“Personally? I don’t do things personally, I just have the will to win and prepare the team in the best possible way, regardless of who we are playing against,” said Arteta.
While it may not be personal at the moment, Mikel Arteta will certainly need to outwit Unai Emery this time around for no early slip ups in the long title race waiting for them ahead. But for now, an exciting yet crucial Saturday awaits the Gunners at Villa Park.
