Arsenal were dealt another frustrating blow to their top-four hopes following a 2-2 draw with relegation threatened Southampton on Saturday afternoon, leaving them eight points adrift of Champions League qualification places.
Arsenal fans make feelings know after Southampton draw
The Saints, who are second from bottom in the league, were much the better team at the Emirates, and would’ve taken all three points but for a 96th-minute equaliser from Alexandre Lacazette. However, instead of widespread relief at rescuing a point, Arsenal fans made their feelings known, delivering a response of palpable indifference as pressure on Unai Emery continues to mount.
Indeed, a chorus of boos at the final whistle were the perfect indictment of a team who continue to stutter in the Premier League, delivering the latest in a growing line of passive and ineffectual displays.
After the match, Emery was quick to offer his understanding towards the club supporters.
“The club are supporting me every day and also I have a responsibility”, said the Spaniard. “I know I can do better, I can take more performances with the players and I’m going to try to do that. Now my job is to analyse, to try to move on with confidence with the players.”
“It’s difficult but we need to move on in the next days. After analysing that match we are going to play at home again on Thursday, prepare as well as possible.”
“We know, and I know, that we need to connect with our supporters.”
Is this the beginning of the end for Emery?
Despite ongoing murmurs over discontent surrounding Emery’s tenure, The Mail report that the club’s head of football Raul Sanllehi and technical director Edu are prepared to give the manager more time to deliver improvements following a poor run of results.
However, they also report that other board members share less optimistic views of the Spaniard and have begun to identify long-term replacements should performances not progress.
Former-Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta and former-Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino are believed to be on the shortlist of names, but the former had previously ruled out a move to Arsenal.