Football
Arsenal fans in wild jubilation as their club finally identify their challenge and are ready to fix it
It has been trying moments at the Emirates recently with series of unpalatable incidents ranging from undesirable results to the sad episode with their captain.
Meanwhile, National Daily learnt that Arsenal are determined to try and give Emery every chance to turn things around and have denied reports suggesting their Head of Football Raul Sanllehi has met with Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal are determined to give Emery chance to turn around Arsenal fortunes
But Emery is under mounting pressure at the Emirates and, while his job is not in immediate danger, Arsenal have spelt out that they expect the Spaniard to finish in the top four this season.
Arsenal could slip nine points behind if they lose to Leicester City at King Power stadium next Saturday and there is a growing fear that the club could act if they are in serious danger of missing out by Christmas.
Emery insists he will not walk away but the fans are losing faith and that could be the biggest obstacle to the ex-Paris Saint Germain boss surviving.
More than 55,000 Arsenal fans have voted in an online poll on Emery’s future – with 88% wanting him gone after his team were booed off following a 1-1 draw with Wolves on Saturday.
Emery is struggling to keep the players onside amid an indifferent start to the campaign even though the club backed him to the hilt in the summer transfer window.
Sanllehi and technical director Edu have a growing influence at the club with Josh Kroenke, director and son of the majority shareholder Stan, is also committed to giving Emery time even though it now looks to be running out.
But Arsenal are limited in options in terms of potential successor as Mourinho would divide opinion among fans because of his toxic relationship with Arsene Wenger and jibes at the club in the past.
Arsenal fans could be divided over the choice of Mourinho as Emery’s successor
Patrick Vieira is struggling at Nice, they could turn back to Pep Guardiola’s No. 2 at Manchester City Mikel Arteta who was a contender last year but is still on the radar.
Max Allegri is also keen on a new job, fancies English football, has been linked with Bayern Munich, although he was in the frame in 2018 and did not get the job and is believed to have interviewed badly.
Meanwhile, Granit Xhaka – left out of the squad against Wolves after his furious spat with the fans – could return for the Europa League trip to Portugal on Wednesday with Emery believing an away game could be best for his comeback.
