Arsenal would have won the league under UNAI EMERY last year instead of Arteta, claims Gunners legend

TONY ADAMS has suggested that Arsenal would have won the league last year had Unai Emery been in charge of the club.

The Gunners pushed Man City to the very end last term before a collapse at the final hurdle saw the Cityzens lift the trophy.

Alamy

Getty

The Gunners legend believes that Unai Emery may have taken Arsenal a step further than Arteta did[/caption]

Arsenal were top of the league for 248 days over the course of the season, but ultimately couldn’t translate their dominance into silverware.

And although Mikel Arteta was lauded for his work with the North Londoners, Arsenal legend Adams thinks Emery could have done even better.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, he said: “I love him [Arteta]. I love his passion and enthusiasm. I’ve always said he’s a little bit inexperienced and perhaps needs to draw on someone in his staff who is a little more experienced.

“I’m talking about going across the line last season. We all make mistakes and aren’t perfect. He perhaps didn’t rotate players early enough last season.

“People were running out of steam, like Bukayo Saka. I think he’s doing great. Last year, weirdly if Unai Emery was our manager then we could have perhaps won the league.

“I know he didn’t stick around and following Arsene Wenger was difficult, a bit like George Graham being followed by Bruce Rioch.

“I think he missed a few bits last season to get us over the line.”

Emery filled Arsene Wenger‘s empty throne at the Emirates in 2018, but was sacked during his second season after a 2-1 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

FREE BETS – BT BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS

Now he’s at Aston Villa where he is excelling on all fronts with the Villans just two points off the top of the Premier League table.

Their away win over Tottenham on Sunday propelled them into fourth place and level on points with Liverpool.

But it’s Arteta’s men who sit atop the pile at the moment after the Gunners snatched their opportunity to look down at the rest of the 19 clubs with a 1-0 win over Brentford.

AFP

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League on Saturday[/caption]

Alamy

Aston Villa are hot on their tails sitting just two points behind them[/caption]

Getty - Contributor

Emery spent a year and a half as the boss at the Emirates[/caption]

ARSENAL NEWS LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE ONGOINGS FROM THE EMIRATES