The aftermath of Arsenal's emphatic 4-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on 30th December 2025 has been dominated not by the scoreline, but by a conspicuous absence of post-match etiquette.
The Viral Moment That Overshadowed The Result
As the final whistle blew on a match that ended Aston Villa's impressive 11-game winning streak, Sky Sports cameras captured a moment of pure bewilderment from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. The Gunners' boss was seen searching the touchline for his opposite number, Unai Emery, only to find the Villa coach had already departed down the tunnel without the customary handshake. Arteta's confused expression told the whole story, and the clip quickly spread across social media, sparking widespread speculation about a potential rift between the two managers.
Emery's Post-Match Explanation
Faced with questions in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Unai Emery moved to clarify the situation. The Spaniard insisted there was no malice intended and explained his usual post-match routine.
"I was waiting for him but he was with his coaches," Emery stated. "Always, my routine is go to the opponent coach first, shake hands and then go inside or with my coaches. But firstly, always is to go with the opponent coach. If he’s not doing the same rule, I cannot wait. Then nothing happened."
"No Issues" Claims Villa Boss
When pressed on whether he was unhappy with Arteta, Emery was emphatic in his denial. "No, no, no. I am so happy," he exclaimed. "Okay, even losing today, overall I am happy with the way and with everything happening. Congratulations to Arsenal."
To remove any lingering doubt, he was asked one final time if there were any underlying problems with the Arsenal manager. "Not for me," Emery reiterated, before adding a more light-hearted justification: "But I cannot wait because it was cold!"
While the 4-1 thrashing was a significant footballing event, it is this brief, unexplained moment of perceived disrespect that has captured the public's imagination, proving once again that in the modern Premier League, drama is never confined to the pitch.
