Unai Emery Set for Baptism by Fire in Premier League Return as Aston Villa's Upcoming Fixtures Are Confirmed

• Unai Emery’s first five games as Aston Villa manager are a manager’s nightmare
• The West Midlands club parted ways with Steven Gerrard, who left the club flirting with the relegation zone
• Emery will take charge of the club from November and is set to leave his Villareal job

A look at Aston Villa’s upcoming fixtures gives some perspective on why the club decided to part ways with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Villa on Tuesday, October 25 announced they had appointed former Arsenal boss Unai Emery as their new manager after triggering the Spaniard’s £5.2million release clause at Villareal.

Emery, as reported by Sunsport,, has reportedly signed a three-year deal with Villa, but will not be in charge of the game against Newcastle on Saturday.

Instead, his first test as Aston Villa boss will be a similarly tough fixture against Manchester United on November 6.

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It is not going to get any easier for Emery, whose side will face United again in the Carabao Cup third round on November 10.

Once the Red Devils test is out of the way, Emery will face an unpredictable Brighton and Hove Albion in the final Premier League clash before clubs break for the World Cup.

After the World Cup spectacle, tougher tests away Emery’s Aston Villa, whose first match after a new world champion is crowned will be against Liverpool at Villa Park in a Boxing day fixture.

This will be followed by a clash against Tottenham Hotspur on New Years’ Day, before the infamous ‘Black County derby’ against Wolves three days later.

In summary, Aston Villa, who are battling relegation, will have to collude with Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool in Emery’s first seven matches in charge of the club.

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3 Arsenal players Emery could sign

Sports Brief also highlighted three players who could be signed by Unai Emery from Arsenal.

The likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Kieran Tierney have struggled in one way or the other under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, and could be snatched up by Emery, who has some experience coaching some of them.

Emery has a job on his hands, as he is tasked with steering Villa out of the bottom half of the table after the club was pulled into the relegation fight after their first 12 matches.