UNAI EMERY is fighting to hold on to his job as Arsenal boss following a sixth game without victory.
The drab 2-2 draw at home to Southampton ended with the crowd booing their team off the pitch and cranking up the pressure on the Spaniard.
Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and Massimiliano Allegri are among the candidates to replace Unai Emery if the Arsenal boss is sacked
Unai Emery is under pressure after a stretch of six matches without a win in all competitionsCredit: Alamy Live News
Reports of players feeling disillusioned with the coach’s ability to turn around their season have worsened the atmosphere surrounding the club.
The growing consensus among pundits and former players is that a change is required.
SunSport’s Alan Shearer told Match of the Day: “I don’t see [Emery] getting out of it because I don’t see Arsenal improving. They’re getting worse.”
That agrees with the narrative reported among the players, who don’t trust Emery to turn things around.
Chairman Sir Chips Keswick reportedly attempted to quit on the weekend to end his 14-year spell in North London, turned towards the exit door by the fans’ fury.
So, who could Arsenal turn to if they do decide to sack Emery?
MIKEL ARTETA
The early favourite to take over is Arteta. He spent the final five years of his career at the Emirates and was a popular figure.
Arteta joined Pep Guardiola at Manchester City as an assistant in 2016 and has spent the last three years honing his coaching skills under his compatriot.
Will surely want the main gig at some point.
Currently 3-1 with Ladbrokes.
MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI
Allegri is currently out of work after deciding to take a sabbatical in the summer following his departure from Juventus.
The Italian is a serial winner with six Serie A winners medals and four from the Coppa Italia. But can he do it outside of his homeland?
And does he want to cut his holidays short to take over a club verging on crisis?
Currently 4-1 with Ladbrokes.
MAURICIO POCHETTINO
This could be fun. After leading rivals Spurs for five-and-a-half years, including to the Champions League final in June, Pochettino was brutally sacked last week.
Now looking for the next challenge of his career as he tries to win a piece of silverware for the fist time, could it be across North London that he finally manages it?
Arsenal are keen. Think Sol Campbell 2.0.
Currently 6-1 with Ladbrokes.
PATRICK VIEIRA
Another former Gunners midfielder who has gone on to coach at Manchester City, Vieira was heavily linked with the Arsenal job when Emery replaced Arsene Wenger last year.
The Frenchman is in his second season with Ligue 1 side Nice following a two-and-a-half-year spell with New York City in the MLS.
Currently 8-1 with Ladbrokes.
FREDDIE LJUNGBERG
The Swede would be the internal appointment. He is already on the coaching staff with the club after working with the Under-15s and Under-23s either side of a year at Wolfsburg.
He was promoted to join Emery and the first-team set-up at the beginning of this season so appears to be getting closer to the top job. But whether he is ready for that is a different matter.
Currently 10-1 with Ladbrokes.
Freddie Ljungberg has been earning his stripes as a coach at Arsenal, working his way up from the academy to first-team levelCredit: Getty – Contributor
Patrick Vieira is another name that is being suggested with the former Gunners midfielder doing a decent job at NiceCredit: Getty – Contributor
Mauricio Pochettino a shock contender to replace Unai Emery as Arsenal manager
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
