Unai Emery out to create a 'new history' in first north London derby as Arsenal head coach
Arsenal vs Tottenham is live on Sky Sports from 2pm on Sunday
Saturday 1 December 2018 07:45, UK
Unai Emery wants to create "new history" at Arsenal as they prepare for a first north London derby against Tottenham without Arsene Wenger at the helm.
Arsenal host Spurs as part of Sky Sports' Derby Day on Sunday, with Emery's side currently three points behind their rivals in the Premier League table.
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Wenger's 22-year reign at Arsenal ended with a derby record of 18 wins, 18 draws and eight losses, with three of those defeats coming against current Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.
But Emery insists every derby is different and believes Arsenal's management overhaul poses a new challenge for both sides.
"Each match, like this derby, is different. We want to create a new history - it's a different moment for Tottenham and for us," Emery told Sky Sports.
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"They are going to play for the first time [against] players with us - the coach and all the staff.
"We want to start playing one derby like that, with a good experience. But above all, in the 90 minutes, we [want to] show everybody a good performance and energy.
"I know from living in Spain and France, different matches like this, and I want to feel this match here with our supporters at the Emirates.
"I know it's going to have a very big atmosphere for us, and we want to win, first as it's a derby, but also for the three points because in the table we need to continue in our process."
Emery faces Pochettino for the first time in England, having first met in Spain when the duo were watching now Leeds coach Marcelo Bielsa train his Chile side in Valencia.
Emery's Valencia took on Pochettino's Espanyol seven times in four seasons from 2009 to 2012, and the pair remain on good terms following their battles in Spain.
"We knew each other at Valencia when we were both looking at Chile training with Marcelo Bielsa," Emery added.
"I was Valencia [coach], he was finishing his career as a player, and we met for three days looking at this training.
"We continued our good relationship when we were playing against each other. His career has been progressively good in the different teams.
"Here in England, he is improving a lot with Southampton first and then with Tottenham.
"I think Tottenham with him are doing better each year, with a very nice team and good players. He gives young players chances to improve with him.
"Sometimes we meet in different situations and speak about football."
Emery is also set to face former player Lucas Moura, having coached the Brazilian at Paris Saint-Germain.
Moura left PSG for Spurs in January, and described the final spell in Paris and under Emery as the "worst seven months" of his life.
Emery said the arrivals of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe made it difficult for Moura, and added the winger is clearly enjoying his football at Spurs this season.
"He's a very good player, young but with big experience in Brazil and Paris. When Neymar and Mbappe were arriving it was very difficult for him," Emery said.
"Now I think he's happy. He's playing and playing with big performances."
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