Mikel Arteta has done a terrific job at Arsenal since being appointed in April 2019 – but the manager situation at other clubs has not been as seamless. Manchester United, for example, have struggled to find the right man for the job.
And Jamie Carragher has insisted that a former Gunners boss would be the ‘perfect’ option to return the Red Devils to their former glory.
Although silverware hasn’t been easy to come by for Arteta, the transformation of his first team – with Bukayo Saka at left-back and Lucas Torreira in the midfield – to now is applause-worthy.
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Of course, the Spanish tactician has had plenty of money to work with but the fact he’s finished second three Premier League seasons on the trot shows the enviable progress of the north Londoners.
But a former Arsenal boss, one who preceded Arteta’s time, has been named by Carragher as the perfect man to take over the United job.
Jamie Carragher claims that ex-Arsenal manager Unai Emery would be ‘perfect’ for Manchester United
In his most recent column for The Telegraph, Carragher delved into the challenges the Old Trafford higher-ups face when appointing a permanent successor to Ruben Amorim – and he named Unai Emery as the perfect choice.
“Unai Emery should be heading to Old Trafford this weekend as the front-runner to become the next Manchester United manager,” Carragher wrote to kick things off.
The former Liverpool defender, however, did note that his previous record – at both Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain – could be a cause for concern for interested clubs.
On his stint in north London, he wrote: “His Arsenal career is not fondly remembered because he was unable to balance domestic and European demands when leading the club to the Europa League final in 2019, losing to Chelsea while failing to qualify for the Champions League.
“In retrospect, it is ironic that Emery’s style was regarded as too much of a departure from Arsene Wenger’s romanticism when you see how pragmatic the quadruple-chasing side are today.
“Wenger was also one of the great, intelligent football communicators of the Premier League era. Emery’s obvious struggles with the English language during his Arsenal years were also an issue,” Carragher concluded.
Why did Unai Emery fail at Arsenal
During the Wenger days, Arsenal had become accustomed to ‘sexy football’ – especially in the Frenchman’s pomp on the touchline. The earlier days, especially!
The attacking fluidity under Wenger flourished and players were allowed to make on-pitch decisions that would spark brilliance but that wasn’t the case under the more pragmatic-focused style of Emery.
| Appointed | 01/07/2018 |
| In charge until | 29/11/2019 |
| Matches | 78 |
| Wins | 43 |
| Draws | 15 |
| Losses | 20 |
| Points per match | 1.85 |
Emery also suffered from the success of Wenger: if the going got tough and results/performances dropped, it would be at the detriment of the Spaniard, who is now thriving at Aston Villa.
There was very little credit in the bank for Unai Emery, who had the onerous task of succeeding Arsenal’s greatest manager. It was, perhaps, a case of right manager at the wrong time. That’s been proved by his Villa Park stint.
