Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young were left scratching their heads over Unai Emery’s painfully awkward post-match interview following Aston Villa’s 1-0 defeat at home to Everton.
Emery’s men had the prospect to go second within the Premier League table with victory at Villa Park, with each Arsenal and Manchester City dropping points earlier within the weekend.
However the hosts slipped up and produced certainly one of their most disappointing performances of the season, with Thierno Barry’s sublime dinked finish proving the difference between the 2 teams.
While Evann Guessand headed against the the woodwork, Villa offered little or no else by means of response in Sunday’s contest – and it might have been worse for the house team had Jake O’Brien’s early goal not been ruled out for offside.
The result means Arsenal finish the weekend with an imperious seven-point lead over their two nearest rivals, with Pep Guardiola’s City sitting above third-placed Villa on goal difference after 22 games.
Get personalised updates on Aston Villa every single day
Get up to seek out news in your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Join to our newsletter after which select your team within the link we’ll send you so we are able to get football news tailored to you.
Villa will hope to bounce back against Newcastle at St James’ Park next weekend having dropped points in three of their last 4 matches within the English top flight.
Chatting with Sky Sports shortly after the ultimate whistle, a dark Emery declared that his side were ‘not top five contenders’ after their poor recent form.
‘We should not contender to be in the highest five. We’re still not being contenders,’ the Villa head coach said.
‘There are other teams with more potential than us.’
Asked what it will take for Villa to be considered top-five contenders, Emery bizarrely replied: ‘Because there are other teams with more potential than us.’
When pushed further for an evidence, the Spaniard refused to reply while taking a look at the bottom. The previous Arsenal and Sevilla manager then stared down matchday reporter Pien Meulensteen before walking out of shot.
When the printed in the reduction of to the Sky Sports studio, host Mark Chapman said Emery gave the impression to be ‘seething about something’ without with the ability to put his finger on the source of his anger.
Redknapp and Young, meanwhile, appeared completely baffled by Emery’s ‘weird’ and ‘odd’ demeanour.
‘He looked really offended,’ ex-Villa and England winger Young said.
‘It could possibly be the injuries, one other one added to the list with John McGinn and missing Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana.
‘Is it the lack of Donyell Malen? Is it him speaking out to say to the owners that I would like more players.
‘It was a weird interview. You’re thinking that he’d speak more in regards to the game and the missed opportunity to shut the gap on Arsenal. To say there are five teams with more potential, it was weird.’
Former Liverpool midfielder Redknapp added: ‘It was definitely certainly one of the oddest interviews I even have ever seen. The bit at the tip, when he goes quiet. It was a really sensible query.
‘I don’t know what he’s attempting to allude to. I suppose he’s just genuinely devastated with that performance and result. They do need players.
‘We checked out what they’ve on the bench, they were short. They haven’t got the choices. Harvey Elliott hasn’t worked out and wasn’t on the bench, Jadon Sancho was ailing.
‘It looks like Boubacar Kamara goes to be out for a very long time and John McGinn has an issue together with his knee. They’ll have to strengthen in that midfield area.’
In accordance with Redknapp, Arsenal were gifted a giant let-off after Villa ‘blew an incredible opportunity’ to use some ‘real pressure’ at the highest.
They couldn’t have began any worse, obviously Everton hit the post in the primary couple of minutes and also you thought that may wake them up, get them going,’ he said of Villa’s limp performance.
‘Then you definitely lose John McGinn they usually have blown an incredible opportunity to place some real pressure on Arsenal.
‘They didn’t have the capabilities in any area today and the individuals that may bail them out they usually weren’t at their best.
‘It was a extremely, really tough afternoon for Aston Villa, they only never got it going in any respect.
‘Perhaps that’s slightly little bit of pressure, they obviously didn’t have a few of their players.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the most recent news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Arsenal agree latest January loan deal for £30m defender
MORE: Andoni Iraola speaks out on rumours he could leave Bournemouth for Manchester United or Tottenham
MORE: Patrick Dorgu sends message to Manchester United legend he’s trying to duplicate