Unai Emery has told Austin MacPhee he can continue celebrating after coaches came under fire.
The Aston Villa boss has told the Scot to remain by his side after Arsenal's Nicolas Jover incurred the wrath of Sky Sports duo Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher.
The pair were outraged by the 45-year-old taking on an increasingly active role, alongside Mikel Arteta on the sidelines. Neville accused the German of 'overreaching his importance' and called him 'the most annoying man in football'.
With Jover's help, Arsenal top the table for set pieces, with Villa in third place. But Emery insisted he has no problem. When asked if he would mind if MacPhee celebrated a goal from a dead ball situation, he said: 'No, of course not, I'm going to celebrate too.
“As long as he is respectful, helps the team, helps the players, supports me, there is no problem. Offensively and defensively, we have a very good coach in Austin. Set pieces have always been important throughout my career. I owe a large part of my success to set pieces.
“Twenty years ago there were no permanent coaches. But I've always enjoyed working on it. It can mean the difference in many matches. When I got here, it was the first time I started working with Austin. I told him my experience and we talk a lot about how we prepare the set pieces for the players.
“We work on the field a week before a match, sometimes one or two days. We have one meeting a week for that. We share our emotions. The responsibility is mine. I support the coaches and one of them is Austin. Now, he helps me – and helps me a lot.
Villa did the double against Arsenal last season – it was a key reason why the Gunners couldn't beat Manchester City and clinch the title.
The games since Emery arrived at Villa Park have been tense – with a fight breaking out between rival analysts in the press box last season. The last ten days may have been a dip for Arteta's side, but Emery believes a record-breaking season is no longer in sight.
He said: “They are at a good time, even though they have lost to Newcastle and Manchester United. They gradually build the team, add and improve.
“They are one of the favorites to win the Premier League. They are the clear favorites to win the Premier League with Liverpool. And they are one of the favorites to win the Champions League. They are doing a good job. They are always better.” And they have the ability to invest.”
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