Softfootball understands that Unai Emery has won the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Month for December 2025, after leading Aston Villa to five wins out of six league games, as reported by the club via their official X account.
They posted:
Unai Emery: The Premier League Manager of the Month for December
It’s his third time winning this award, after April and December 2023, Aston Villa’s December started with a entertaining 4-3 win over Brighton, followed by a late-minute 2-1 victory against Arsenal at Villa Park, with Emiliano Buendía’s stoppage-time goal.
Narrow wins followed over West Ham 3-2, Manchester United 2-1, and Chelsea 2-1, showing Villa can really punch above their weight when the pressure is on. Their only defeat in December was a 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on December 30, which ended an eight-game winning streak.
Emery’s tactical changes really paid off in December. After a slow start to the season, he encouraged more long-range shots, 10 of Villa’s 25 league goals came from outside the box, the most in the Premier League.
Alongside smarter build-up play and tighter defensive shape, this shift helped Villa outperform their expected goals and turn tight matches into wins.
Even if some stats suggest Villa overperformed, Emery’s leadership, substitutions, and ability to read games got the reward. He edged out Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and Daniel Farke in the voting to win this outstanding award.
This honour puts Emery among only five Aston Villa managers to ever win it. With Villa sitting third in the table, the Spaniard stays cautious, stressing humility and the need to focus on the journey ahead. But one thing’s clear, under Emery, Villa are not just competing, they’re scaring the top sides.
