Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been on the receiving end of high praise once more this season, with former Villan Lee Hendrie lauding the Spaniard after his side’s 5-0 dismantling of Sheffield United.
It was a day to remember for Villa, who returned to winning ways with a statement 5-0 win at Bramall Lane to deepen Sheffield United’s wounds in the 2023/24 campaign.
The Midlands side had a devastating first half, scoring four goals by halftime and adding a fifth only two minutes later.
From defensive steadiness to a seemingly effortless display in attack, Unai Emery’s squad is looking particularly strong, having claimed fourth place to remind those around them of their progress.
The Spaniard, who earns roughly £125,000 per week, has been hailed numerous times since his arrival at Villa Park in October 2022, and the positive feedback shows no signs of slowing down.
Lee Hendrie praises Unai Emery’s work at Aston Villa
Speaking to Sky Sports after Villa’s victory in South Yorkshire, pundit and former Villan, Lee Hendrie, waxed lyrical over the manager’s project in the Midlands.
“He’s brought the best out of this squad. It wasn’t so long ago that he was taking over from Steven Gerrard, which is a similar sort of squad.
“I just think the identity and the way they play that high line, it’s very brave and he’s got a really good attacking force in that forward line.”
At the point of Emery’s take over from Steven Gerrard, the club were sat close to the relegation zone, with the squad lacking inspiration and creativity, a contrast to how bright things are currently.
The sky’s the limit for Unai Emery and the Aston Villa squad
The turnaround that was evident during the manager’s debut season in the Midlands has not been a fluke, as genuine progression can be traced through their start to the 2023/24 campaign.
Hendrie backed his former club to take further steps in the near future, congratulating Emery for making the club “believe again” after a period of assumed mediocrity.
Having progressed in the Europa Conference League and the FA Cup, the squad and manager have displayed their ability to flex their depth to little disadvantage, suggesting that the best could be yet to come for the Villans and Emery.
