Martin Keown does not believe Arsenal will sack Unai Emery (Picture: Getty)

Martin Keown has revealed the two reasons he doubts Unai Emery will be sacked by Arsenal despite their ‘shambolic’ defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.

At a half-empty Emirates, Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat to Frankfurt on Thursday evening as they missed the chance to qualify for the Europa League knockout stages with a game to spare.

Gunners captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts ahead shortly before half-time but Frankfurt scored twice after the break to clinch victory and pile the pressure on Emery.

"He wasn't capable of making the changes he needed to…that's a worry." 😕 "The alarm bells are ringing. That was nowhere near good enough!" @martinkeown5 and @JohnHartson10 consider how much longer Unai Emery has left in the Arsenal job… pic.twitter.com/uXslZq1W1h — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 28, 2019


The Arsenal board is said to be deeply concerned by the club’s dip under Emery and looking at candidates to take over should they axe the Spanish boss.



But Keown believes Emery will ‘get more time’ at Arsenal due to the lack of a ‘ready-made replacement’ and because his former club do not ‘want to be seen to be panicking’.

Asked whether Emery will be sacked before the trip to Norwich City on Sunday, Keown told BT Sport: ‘I sincerely hope not. He is a good man and I sincerely hope he can turn it around.

‘He’s lost his way but I think he will get the time because I don’t believe there’s a ready-made replacement for him and the club don’t want to be seen to be panicking.’

Despite suggesting Emery deserves more time to turn things around at the Emirates, Keown suggested the Arsenal board may act swiftly following another demoralising performance.

‘Maybe he has taken the team as far as he can,’ the former Arsenal and England defender added.

The pressure is mounting on the Gunners boss (Picture: Getty)

‘We just witnessed an absolute shambles of a performance. The team motivation, the team selection, the performance, the subs, it was dreadful.

‘He seems to have lost the players. The desire has ebbed away. The subs he made – you’ve got Pepe and Lacazette sitting on the bench when you’re trying to get back into the game.

‘Emery might even feel he needs to step aside now. Change was needed under Wenger but now it looks like the club need to go in another direction again. This is relegation form.

‘Do the club really realise how tricky this is going to be? Decisions have to be made otherwise they are going to plunge even further down the table.

‘It’s a sad day because we still love the club. It’s sad watching it.’

On Sunday, Arsenal – who are currently eighth in the Premier League – travel to Carrow Road to face relegation-battlers Norwich.

MORE: Emery claims Arsenal ‘improved’ despite woeful defeat to Frankfurt

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