Roy Hodgson believes Unai Emery is proving such a suitable successor to Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager because he has revived so many of the qualities that made the Frenchman’s teams great. Thursday’s Europa League victory over Sporting Lisbon was Arsenal’s 11th successive win in all competitions, and came four days after their performance against Leicester evoked memories of Wenger’s side at their very best. Wenger’s departure this summer came after years in which Arsenal’s critics insisted he had become too stubborn with his methods and that they required a significant change. Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Selhurst Park on Sunday, Hodgson said: “(Emery’s) brought back that energy and quality of play that Arsene also had for many years. “Eleven straight wins is an incredible record; we’ve got to try and do our level best that they don’t make it 12, because we need the points.

Source: Irish Examiner October 26, 2018 15:11 UTC