Martin Keown Blames Unai Emery for Arsenal’s Title Loss
Arsenal legend Martin Keown has pointed the finger at former manager Unai Emery for the club’s narrow miss in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal Fall Short in Title Bid
The Gunners came tantalizingly close to their first league trophy since 2004, but ultimately fell two points short as Manchester City secured a dramatic victory on the final day of the season.
Keown believes Arsenal’s defeats to Aston Villa, Emery’s current club, were a pivotal factor in their downfall.
Double Defeat to Aston Villa Proves Costly
“Manchester City have the luxury of a deep squad, while Arsenal are still under development,” Martin Keown said on talkSPORT. “If Arsenal had managed a draw against Villa and avoided defeat, they could have been champions.”
He elaborated on the significance of the Villa games: “Those two losses, home and away, are a major reason why Arsenal couldn’t win the league.”
Martin Keown: Emery Had a Hidden Agenda?
Martin Keown went a step further, suggesting Emery might have had a personal vendetta against his former club.
“Unai Emery took six points away from Arsenal,” Keown claimed. “He might appear calm on the surface and respectful towards his old team, but deep down, I genuinely believe he was desperate to beat them. He managed to achieve that and effectively stopped Arsenal from winning the title.”
MartinKeown acknowledged the irony of the situation, considering his own playing career with both Arsenal and Aston Villa. He also commended Villa’s impressive turnaround this season.
Looking Ahead: Motivation for Next Season
However, Keown emphasized the high bar set by Manchester City. “They are the benchmark,” he declared. “But Arsenal are quickly catching up.”
He concluded by offering a message of encouragement to the Arsenal players: “Use this disappointment as motivation. Learn from it, come back stronger next season, and keep fighting until you achieve your goal of winning the Premier League title.”
