Chris Sutton wants Aston Villa to batter Arsenal because of ‘abusive’ thing their fans did
Chris Sutton has sent a message to Arsenal fans ahead of their team’s clash with Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Arsenal will take on Villa at the Emirates Stadium, in what has become an unexpectedly key game in the Premier League title race.
The Villans started the season without a win from their opening five Premier League games, but have since won 17 from 19 across all competitions and find themselves in striking distance of the top of the table.
Arsenal beat Brighton 2-1 on Saturday, and have recovered well from their late defeat at Villa Park at the start of the month.
Emi Buendia‘s stoppage-time winner saw Villa beat Arsenal 2-1, with Mikel Arteta‘s side now out for revenge.
Chris Sutton tears into Arsenal fans
Arteta and Emery have faced off several times since the former took over at Arsenal following the latter’s exit in 2019.
The clash has always seemed to have an extra feeling involved, with the suspicion being that Emery is keen to punish his former club.
The Spaniard took over at Arsenal following the departure of Arsene Wenger in 2018. The Gunners showed promise under the Spaniard, but the end of the season would prove hugely damaging.
| Unai Emery | Arsenal |
| Wins | 43 |
| Draws | 15 |
| Losses | 20 |
| Scored | 156 |
| Conceded | 105 |
Emery’s team had been in a great position, ultimately needing to have earned just six points from their final five games to finish in the top four, and while having a Europa League final to look forward to as well.
Just one of those would have been satisfactory, but Arsenal capitulated in the Premier League, winning just one of their last five before they were battered by Chelsea in the final, leaving them without Champions League football.
The following season would start just as disastrously as the last had ended, with Emery’s team having won just four from 13 in the Premier League before he was sacked.
Speaking to BBC Sport on Tuesday, Sutton said: “After the abuse he took from Arsenal fans, I’d love nothing more than Emery to go back to the Emirates and win.
“He absolutely didn’t deserve that. Some of those fans should take a long, hard look at themselves for the way they mocked him. I hope Villa go there and spank them, just because of that.”
Unai Emery opens up on Arsenal exit
Arsenal had good times with Emery, but language issues, dressing room trouble and issues within the hierarchy served as a constant hamper on the Spaniard.
“At every club, I’ve been protected: Lorca, Almería, Valencia, PSG,” Emery told The Guardian in 2020.
“At Sevilla I had Monchi. At PSG Nasser al-Khelaifi protected me in the dressing room and publicly. At Arsenal they weren’t able to, maybe because they came from Wenger, who did everything.
“They’d say: ‘We’re with you’ but in front of fans and the dressing room they couldn’t protect me. Truth is, I felt alone. And the results dictated I had to go.”
Fans did show their frustration, such is the way with football, but there was a sense of anger with the club generally, too, until Arteta arrived.
“I still follow Arsenal,” Emery added. “They’re making changes. Arteta was the right choice. I spoke to him around Christmas. I want the best for him and for Arsenal.”
The Villa boss will not want the best for the Gunners on Tuesday – that is for sure – but his words suggest that the bad feelings involved in the affair are perhaps overblown.