Gary Newbon: As manager breaks Villa’s lengthy FA Cup drought, “Em” stands for MAGIC

Gary Newbon: As manager breaks Villa’s lengthy FA Cup

drought, “Em” stands for MAGIC

Gary Newbon: As manager breaks Villa’s lengthy FA Cup drought, “Em” stands for MAGIC

Whoosh! In the 14 months that Unai Emery has managed Aston Villa, the team has progressed effectively at an

amazing pace.

After firing Steven Gerrard and Dean Smith in the past, the team now has a man they will be eager to hold onto!

So to his latest achievement:

At last, Villa have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup after eight years of being KO-ed in the third round.

They left it late but Matty Cash’s 87th-minute goal decided it at Middlesbrough.

Sure, his shot was deflected but so what? All that will be remembered is that it was against Championship

Middlesbrough and Villa won 1-0.

This successful hurdle comes after bad FA Cup results, including two embarrassing ones at home to

Peterborough and Stevenage (the latter coming two months after Emery’s appointment).

Villa’s previous winning FA Cup tie before Saturday was January 2016 when they beat League Two Wycombe

Wanderers 2-0 in a REPLAY!

None of the current Villa squad had previously won a cup tie for the club. Amazing!

Results are now on such a roll, both domestically and in Europe, and Cash was explaining the work and

preparation that Emery puts into planning for each match and different competition.

Emery brought on some heavy guns with FOUR 70th-minute substitutes in Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz, Moussa

Diaby and Nicolo Zaniolo.

Such is the preparation that the goal was a result of a set-piece corner routine. This is a very strong squad with a

strong candidate for manager of the season! On Sunday, currently second in the Premier League, they travel to

Everton (2pm). You would expect Villa to get something out of this match.

Emery has won 11 trophies to date with Sevilla, PSG and Villarreal. It will not be long before he leads Villa to one.

The trophy cabinet last saw action with the League Cup in 1996!

Another manager is remarkable at a lower level. On a regular basis, this column has praised Coventry City’s

Mark Robins who transfers different setbacks – not of his making –into winning ways and Wembley

appearances.

The Sky Blues were so unlucky in the Championship play-off final last season. Now they are gathering

momentum to try again.

Their seven-match unbeaten league run has lifted them to eighth – three points behind the play-offs. The Sky

Blues have played 26, won nine, drawn ten and lost seven. If some of those draws had only been converted!

Mind you, the Sky Blues supporters would probably settle for a draw with Saturday’s opponents the runaway

leaders Leicester City who have won 21 of their 26 matches. The Foxes have the strongest squad to support the

claim they are the best team.

But football is always full of upsets so let’s see what happens at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday

(live on Sky, 12.30pm).

Meanwhile, the Sky Blues had an impressive third-round 6-2 win over League One Oxford United at home at the

weekend with an outstanding performance, including a wonder goal from Kasey Palmer.

Some strike, flying into the top corner and had Robins purring afterwards! Matty Godden added the final two

goals.

Coventry’s owner/chairman Doug King appreciates what he has inherited in Robins. A reminder that Robins is

the fifth-longest-serving managers of the 92 Premier League and EFL managers in England.

Simon Weaver, of Harrogate Town, leads the way with 14 years and 232 days (many of those were non-league

but now Harrogate are in League Two).

Next is John Coleman, of Accrington Stanley, followed by Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, eight years and 92 days.

Fourth is Pep Guardiola, of Manchester City, with seven years 191 days and so to Robins in his second spell at the

Sky Blues (six years and 308 days).

Carlos Corberan joined West Bromwich Albion on October 25, 2022 – seven days before his Spanish compatriot

Emery. He too is doing an excellent job for his club.

The Baggies were ninth last season in the Championship. Now they are fifth and therefore in the play-off places.

They host Blackburn on Saturday.

Meanwhile, they are in the fourth round after beating National League team Aldershot 4-1 at The Hawthorns on

Sunday.

However, Corberan, a real ‘jack in the box’ on the touchline, has some missing player challenges at present.

The Baggies have been hit by the African Nations Cup – Grady Diangana and Semi Ajayi – plus a lengthy injury

list of five top players, while Jeremy Sarmiento’s loan period has finished and he has joined Ipswich Town.

Last week, I urged our clubs to take the FA Cup seriously. The supporters do and it is still a magic competition.

I am pleased to report that of our six clubs we only lost Walsall, which was fair enough – going down 4-0 at high-

flying Championship side Southampton.

 

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