Unai Emery made the perfect start as Aston Villa manager with a 3-1 win against Manchester United in the Premier League 2022 on Sunday (November 6). The former Arsenal boss took charge of his first game which will give Villa fans hope he can turn the season around.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

But it was another setback for United manager Erik ten Hag, who watched his team lose away in the league for the third time this season. Emery could not have hoped for a better start, with Villa taking an early two-goal lead.


Leon Bailey opened the scoring after seven minutes after racing past Lisandro Martinez and driving a low shot beyond David de Gea. Villa doubled the lead just four minutes later, with Lucas Digne curling a 22-yard free kick past United’s goalkeeper.


Ten Hag might have feared the worst in a season when his team has twice gone in at halftime 4-0 down. But hope of a comeback came just before the break when Luke Shaw’s strike deflected off Jacob Ramsey and into his own net.



The Villa player made amends four minutes into the second half when restoring his team’s two-goal advantage. Cristiano Ronaldo's United left him completely unmarked in the box to fire into the top corner after being picked out by Ollie Watkins. If Emery expected a fightback, it never materialized, with Villa comfortably seeing out the win.


Arsenal looks a genuine title contender after Chelsea win


Mikel Arteta is making believers out of Arsenal doubters, while his predecessor Unai Emery has unfinished business in the Premier League 2022. It was a good day for Gunners managers past and present as Arsenal moved back to the top of the table with a 1-0 win against Chelsea on Sunday and Aston Villa stunned Manchester United 3-1 in Emery’s first game in charge.


Arsenal’s win against Chelsea overcame the latest test of its title credentials. Victory in the final round of games before the World Cup will ensure Arsenal is top of the table for Christmas, with the domestic calendar resuming December 26.


The celebrations at Manchester City after a late 2-1 win against Fulham on Saturday underlined the level of threat that Arteta’s Arsenal presents to the reigning champions. And when Gabriel pounced after 63 minutes at Stamford Bridge it strengthened the growing belief that Arsenal can maintain a genuine challenge.


(with PTI inputs)