Aston Villa
Emery: Villa not contenders despite occupying a top-five position
Emery said Villa are not contenders for a top-five finish; pundits described the interview as odd…
Unai Emery left reporters and pundits unsettled after a brief post‑match press conference in which he insisted Aston Villa are not genuine challengers for a top-five finish.
“We are not contender to be in the top five,” Emery told Sky Sports with emphasis on the final word. “We are [in the top five now] but we are still not being contenders.
“There are other teams with more potential than us.”
The comment followed a pause when the manager was asked to explain his assessment. He fell silent, staring blankly with a subtle smile before the interviewer ended the conversation. “Thank you,” Emery responded immediately.
Villa’s league position only underlined the surprise. The club sit seven points above Liverpool in fourth, with fifth-placed Manchester United a further point back, and remain level on points with Manchester City above them. That context prompted immediate questions about why Emery would describe qualification for the Champions League as an uphill task.
Former Villa winger Ashley Young reflected on possible reasons behind the remarks. “He looked really angry,” Young said. “It could be … maybe the injuries? Maybe another one added to the list with John McGinn, missing Boubacar Kamara. Massive players—[Amadou] Onana as well.
“Is it the sale of Donyell Malen? Is it him speaking out to say to the owners, ‘Look at my squad, I need more players?’
“It was a weird interview, to be honest. We thought he’d speak more about the game and a missed opportunity of closing the gap on Arsenal . To then say there’s five other teams with more potential … it’s just weird.”
Jamie Redknapp also described the encounter as baffling. “It wasn’t quite Rafa ‘Facts’ or Kevin Keegan’s ‘I’d love it if we beat them,’ but it was certainly one of the oddest interviews I’ve ever seen,” he said. “The bit at the end where he’s saying … he just goes quiet … It was a very sensible question, she wasn’t asking anything difficult for him. I don’t know really what he’s trying to allude to. I guess he’s just genuinely devastated with the performance and the result.”
The exchange added to a string of recent manager interviews that have raised eyebrows and left observers debating intent and context.
Arsenal
Arteta’s Konsa concern eases Arsenal wait ahead of Hull City
Arteta has confirmed Ezri Konsa had issues against Slavia Prague, with tests due before Hull City.
Mikel Arteta has admitted Ezri Konsa is carrying an issue after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Slavia Prague, leaving the defender’s availability in doubt ahead of the meeting with Hull City on Saturday.
The Arsenal manager did not offer a reassuring update after the final whistle, saying the summer signing was withdrawn because of a problem and because of the heavy load he has been asked to manage in recent weeks.
“He is obviously playing a lot. He’s played so many games in the last few weeks,” Arteta said of Konsa.
“He had some issues and we decided to take him off.”
Konsa is now set to undergo further checks before Arsenal face Hull City, and any sign of a genuine injury would likely lead to a cautious approach from Arteta. With the November international break approaching, the club may have some breathing space if recovery is required.
The defender has already passed the 1,000-minute mark in all competitions during his debut Arsenal campaign, having featured in all but two of the team’s matches in 2026-27. Those two absences came in August, before his move from Aston Villa was completed.
His impact has been immediate, with Konsa emerging as Arsenal’s strongest summer addition and one of the standout new arrivals in the Premier League. He has filled the role left by William Saliba without disrupting the team’s rhythm.
If Arsenal do need to manage his minutes, Mosquera is available to step in alongside Gabriel, while Saliba is also back in contention after missing the start of the season with a back injury. The French defender travelled to Czechia and was an unused substitute, though a recall straight into the XI may be considered too soon.
Declan Rice also remains central to the discussion around Arsenal’s workload. He again influenced the win in midweek, but his minutes have been watched closely after a demanding run that included last season, the 2026 World Cup and the current campaign.
Arteta brushed aside concerns when asked about Rice completing the full 90 minutes. “The game required it, and he did,” he said. “He was as well rested against Fleetwood so he had a very good week to recover before Liverpool.
“It’s his second game in a week and not the fifth one. We expect our players to be able to do that and I think he had some very good moments throughout the game.”
Arsenal
October Premier League award nominees announced
Premier League October award nominees include standout performers and managers across the division.
The Premier League has named the contenders for its October 2026 Player and Manager of the Month awards, with eight players and six managers included on the respective shortlists.
Bournemouth forward Evanilson enjoyed a productive month, finishing October with four goals and one assist from four appearances as his team beat Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds United after a slow opening to the season.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson also reached four goals in the month. The former Chelsea player scored twice in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and also found the net in draws against Brentford and Fulham.
Arsenal are represented by Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice after a perfect month. Konsa impressed in defence while William Saliba was absent, keeping two clean sheets in three outings and scoring his first goal for the club. Rice contributed two important assists at the other end.
Jack Rudoni’s form has helped Coventry City. The newly promoted side took two wins from four matches in October, with Rudoni scoring three times as they moved further away from the relegation zone.
Tottenham Hotspur also had an unbeaten month, and Jan Paul van Hecke played a key role in wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No player attempted or completed more passes than the Dutch defender last month.
Brighton have two nominees in Luka Vušković and Bart Verbruggen. Three clean sheets in four matches brought recognition for the Seagulls’ defence.
On the managerial shortlist, Chelsea scored more goals than any other team in October with nine, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta guided his side to the top of the table. Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler and Marco Rose complete the list after strong runs during the month.
Month
Player
Club
August
João Pedro
Chelsea
September
Pascal Groß
Brighton
Month
Manager
Club
August
Sergej Jakirović
Hull
September
Aston Villa
Villa signal long-term Emery backing amid United speculation
Villa reinforce Emery’s future as reports link the manager with Manchester United again this week.
Aston Villa have moved to underline Unai Emery’s future at the club at a time when links with Manchester United continue to circulate.
Emery has been central to Villa’s rise, guiding them into the Champions League and delivering their first major trophy in 30 years last season with the Europa League. That track record makes him a natural fit for a club of Manchester United’s stature, especially given his history of success at Sevilla and Villarreal, as well as his experience at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
However, Villa’s position around their manager is clearly a sensitive one. The club recently threatened legal action against pundit Jamie Carragher over remarks made on the Stick to Football podcast last month. In his comments on Emery and Manchester United, Carragher suggested the Spaniard might want the chance to “manage a giant again,” while also saying, “There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not. Shut the f— up, Aston Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”
After a public apology in which Carragher described his wording as “clumsy and wrong,” the matter was dropped.
Reports earlier this week stated Emery is “happy” at Aston Villa, has no release clause in his contract, and is not expected to leave. Villa have now added further weight to that view by publicising a meeting focused on “the club’s long-term strategic direction.”
One outcome from that meeting was “establishing a clear commitment beyond 2029” under Emery’s leadership. While the club stopped short of announcing a new deal, his current contract expires in 2029, and the wording strongly suggests a longer partnership is being prepared. The Athletic report that such an agreement is close.
Villa said: “The meeting brought together Nassef Sawiris, the club’s Chairman, and Unai Emery alongside President of Football Operations Roberto Olabe and Director of Football Operations Damián Vidagany.”
