Sports
Unai Emery Explains Snubbed Mikel Arteta Handshake
Unai Emery has been criticised for his behaviour after Aston Villa were thrashed 4-1 by Arsenal on Tuesday night at the Emirates.
After a cagey first half, the Gunners took an early lead in the 48th minute when Gabriel Maghalaes bundled the ball into the net from a corner. And they didn’t have to wait too long for their second of the game as Martin Zubimendi doubled their advantage four minutes later.
Things went from bad to worse for Villa before full-time as Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus grabbed Arsenal’s third and fourth of the night, before Ollie Watkins scored a consolation in added time. Defeat leaves the Midlands outfit six points behind their north London opponents in the table, although they remain third.
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Emery Snubbed Arteta After Final Whistle
It wasn’t to be for Emery, who was returning to the club he managed for just over a year. And he was not keen to stick around when the final whistle sounded.
Footage broadcast by NBC Sports showed Arteta celebrating the win with members of his coaching staff, with them all delighted to get a result over a high-flying Villa side. But he then turned around to shake hands with the head coach in the opposition dugout.
However, the Arsenal manager was seemingly left baffled, as Emery was nowhere to be seen. After looking around for a short while, the Spaniard made his way onto the pitch to congratulate his players on a job well done.
Watch What Happened After Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa Below:
Further replays on Sky Sports showed that Emery shook the hands of the fourth official after the final whistle, but he then went straight down the tunnel. Elaborating on what happened, the Villa boss said: “I was waiting for him but he was with his coaches. My routine is always first to shake hands with the opponent’s coach. And then go to the side or with my own coaches.
“But firstly, always I go to the opponent coach. If he’s not doing the same rule then I cannot but nothing happened.”
However, Arteta chose not to make much out of it, stating: “No it’s not an issue. Sometimes we are in the moment and it’s no problem.”
Fans Slam Emery For Acting Like a ‘Sore Loser’
While Emery might not have thought too much about his actions, they haven’t gone unnoticed by supporters who saw the moment unfold on TV. One questioned what had happened, asking: “Did Emery leg it without shaking Arteta’s hand???”
That sparked reaction from others, who were quick to criticise the Villa boss. One wrote: “Unai Emery is a sore loser! Didn’t even bother to give Arteta a handshake! ” And another added: “What an absolute loser Emery is dodging giving Arteta a handshake after the game. The rat, can’t believe some people in this fanbase still wish him well.”
One more stated: “Emery ducking Arteta and going straight down the tunnel after he’s been taught a footballing lesson is a perfect encapsulation of him.” And a final supporter wrote: “Look at sore loser UNAI EMERY went straight to the tunnel without exchanging handshakes. You beat Arteta a couple of weeks ago & heaven didn’t fall. Sore Loser!”
