Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has been full of praise for his opposite number Unai Emery ahead of the Eagles' trip to face Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend.
The Eagles make the short trip across London to face the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with Arsenal pushing for a top four finish in Unai Emery's first season in charge in the north of the capital.
And Hodgson has praised the Spaniard for how he has fared so far at Arsenal , since taking over from Arsene Wenger last summer after the Frenchman left the club following 22 years as manager.
Indeed, Emery racked up his 32nd win in 50 matches in all competitions as Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0 last night (Thursday) in the Europa League, and Hodgson says the Spaniard should be "very, very pleased" with the job he has done.
"I commend him because he took on a very difficult job, to take over after someone like Arsene Wenger, who had been such an incredible figure and achieved such fantastic things at the club, for such a long period of time," Hodgson said, speaking at his pre-match press conference.
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"Therefore, whoever comes in and steps into those shoes is filling enormous shoes and it is never going to be easy for him.
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"I think he must be very, very pleased with the way things have gone there for him, he has been able to step into those shoes, he has been able to mould a team, play the football that I guess he wants his team to play and it has been very successful football."
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