High-flying Aston Villa and Unai Emery present latest challenge to Arsenal’s title credentials

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa is the form team in the Premier League and on Saturday presents the latest test to Arsenal’s title credentials.

An added element of intrigue is another reunion between Unai Emery and Arsenal, which fired the Spanish coach in 2019 after he’d overseen its worst run of results in 27 years.

“For what they’ve been doing, the way they’ve been playing and winning matches, certainly it’s a team that is in great form and we know that,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “We know obviously the manager and the incredible job he’s done there as well, so we know the task tomorrow.”

Emery has long since restored his reputation after leaving Arsenal, winning the Europa League for a third time in his career, with Villarreal. His return to England has underlined his status as one of the elite coaches in Europe, transforming Villa from a relegation-fighting team to a serial contender for Champions League qualification.

Villa is punching above its weight again this term and is up to third in the standings after eight wins from its last nine league games.

A win against first-place Arsenal at Villa Park would cut its gap to the leader to three points.

“I think when you look at Unai, his career, his motivation level, everywhere he’s been an impact that he’s done, it’s all been remarkable,” Arteta said.

Such heady heights hardly looked possible after Emery’s team started the season without a win in its first five games after a frustrating transfer window that relied on deadline-day loan deals for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott to bolster the squad.

Villa, a Champions League quarterfinalist last season, lost two of its first three league games and was also knocked out of the League Cup.

It seemed the remarkable rise under Emery, who was hired in 2022 with the club one place above the relegation zone, was at risk of hitting the wall. But the coach has confounded expectations again and has been shortlisted for Premier League manager of the month for November.

Arsenal is five points clear at the top, ahead of second-place Manchester City. It is unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions, dating back to September, but has drawn its last two away games at Sunderland and Chelsea.

Key matchups

City, meanwhile, is at home to a Sunderland team that held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield midweek.

Liverpool’s latest test after just two wins in nine league games comes at Leeds, which stunned Chelsea last time out by winning 3-1 at Elland Road.

Chelsea is at Bournemouth on Saturday after failing to win its last two games in the league.

Players to watch

Will Mohamed Salah start after being dropped for Liverpool’s last two games? He came off the bench against Sunderland, but still couldn’t inspire his team to a much-needed win.

Matheus Cunha returns to Wolverhampton with new club Manchester United on Monday. The Brazil international returned from injury for the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Thursday and this would be his first game against Wolves since leaving the club in the summer.

Out of action

Arsenal is waiting to see if Declan Rice will be available after he limped off during the win against Brentford midweek. Cristhian Mosquera is a doubt with an ankle problem and William Saliba has been out for two games with an unspecified injury.

Sandro Tonali faces a late test to see if he will be available for Newcastle after taking a knock in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

Off the field

Thomas Frank faces former club Brentford, with his Tottenham team in desperate need of turning its home form around.

Spurs have gone six league games without a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with its only victory coming against Burnley on the opening day of the season.

Frank’s position as manager is coming under scrutiny, with his team’s home form particularly concerning.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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