EMERY REMAINS DEFIANT
Arsenal boss believes his team can finish top four despite defeat at Everton
IT was put to Unai Emery a few days ago that a top four finish, which used to be a minimum requirement for Arsenal, is somehow considered an achievement and that the club’s aim ought to be much higher.
He muttered a few meaningless platitudes about having won championships in Paris and Seville, though here was a performance which laid bare once again how far the club have fallen from the one which once represented cussedness, fight, creativity and swagger.
The Gunners were a shadow of their best during an indifferent performance as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday in blow to top four hopes.
Phil Jagielka, 36, scored the game’s only goal as Arsenal extended their wretched record as the only club in the top four divisions of English football not to have kept a clean sheet on their travels this season.
It was Jagielka’s first goal since April 2017 as he became the oldest player to score in the Premier League this season.
But Emery, while conceding his team had played badly, said Arsenal remain in control of the race for Champions League qualification in the aftermath at Goodison Park.
“I think generally we are well. I don’t think; ‘today we lost and we are very bad’. It was a bad result, not a good performance today, but we are fourth,” Emery said. “Before, I knew it was going to be
difficult. After this result, I am thinking the same.
“After this result, we can be negative because it is three points lost, but it is in our hands, if we continue taking chances and opportunities, to be in the top four.”
Victory also meant that Everton have beaten a ‘big six’ side for a second consecutive home game, having failed to win against one of those teams in the previous 25 attempts.
Mesut Ozil, meanwhile, got involved in a touchline row between the two managers as the German launched his coat in the direction of Everton boss Marco Silva.
The midfielder had not long taken his place on the bench having been withdrawn with Arsenal chasing the game at 1-0 down.
But when Shkodran Mustafi produced a rash challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin in front of both managers, the pair clashed and Ozil decided to get involved as he threw his jacket in the direction of a seething Silva.
“He arrived late, but I think it was a yellow card,” said Emery. “I was speaking and he (Silva) came into my space and place on the bench and explained something to me.
But it was no problem.”
“The football is emotional. He wants the best for his team, I want the best for mine. At the end we spoke together and everything is normal,” said Silva.
Ozil’s involvement soon gathered momentum on social media on what proved another disappointing afternoon away from home.
One user wrote: “Ozil throwing his coat at Marco Silva? No wonder Emery gave him the captain’s armband.”
One user joked: “Ozil throwing his coat at Marco Silva was Arsenal’s most dangerous moment of the match.”