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Former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher said that he was left surprised after none of the top European sides made a move for Aston Villa manager Unai Emery. The 52-year-old has masterminded a stellar rebuild at Villa Park, re-establishing the historic club as a top side in the Premier League.
Emery led Villa to a sensational fourth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, earning them a UEFA Champions League berth for the first time in 41 years. Despite achieving such a monumental result with a relatively unfancied side, none of the top clubs pursued his services in the summer.
Carragher was astounded by the lack of interest in the former Arsenal tactician's signature. In his column for The Telegraph, the 46-year-old wrote (via Metro):
"Because of Emery, Villa have become a notable scalp... One of the surprises of the summer is how few of the elite teams seeking a new coach made a pitch for Emery. He would have been capable of taking over at Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Chelsea, while Manchester United must have considered his qualities during that period when they were contemplating whether to keep faith with Erik ten Hag."
"Based on his experience and CV, Emery is second only to Guardiola as the most accomplished and successful coach currently working in the Premier League... It still surprised me that there was not a stronger push for his services from those head-hunting because it will be hard for Villa to replicate what they did last year given the extra demands of Champions League football," Carragher added.
Emery joined Villa after leaving Villarreal in 2022 and led them out of the relegation fight to the Champions League.
"It is all about eradicating unnecessary mistakes" - Jamie Carragher gives advice to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal ahead of Premier League clash vs Aston Villa
Former English defender Jamie Carragher claimed that Arsenal would have to 'eradicate unnecessary mistakes' to be genuine contenders for the 2024-25 Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta's side have fallen short of Manchester City's tally in the last two seasons, losing the title by just five and two points respectively. A section of the media and fans have backed the Gunners to go the distance in the 2024-25 campaign.
However, Carragher issued a word of caution before their sojourn. In his column for The Telegraph, the former Liverpool man wrote:
"Arsenal's performances over the past 12 months have been good enough to make them champions. Now it is all about eradicating unnecessary mistakes, even against accomplished opposition such as this weekend's (Aston Villa)."
"No team in Premier League history has improved their points tally five years in a row. Arsenal have done it for the last four years. They must go where no other side has to win the title," Carragher concluded.
Arsenal are set to take on Aston Villa in a mouth-watering Premier League clash at Villa Park on August 24.
