THE frenzied gesticulations were familiar. The exhortations from the touchline were the same. The passion and fervour were as evident as ever. The only thing different was that the gentleman responsible for such actions was now standing in the visitors’ technical area, not the home sanctum.

Unai Emery and his underrated Villarreal team eased past an underwhelming Arsenal side on Thursday evening — and not a single right-thinking Gooner would begrudge the man and his club their success in reaching the Europa League final, where they will now face Manchester United. 

Emery’s previous European match at Ashburton Grove was the miserable defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in November 2019 that sealed his fate.