Jermaine Jenas believes that while a win and a good performance would go a long way for Arsenal and Unai Emery this evening (Thursday), he fears that the writing may be on the wall for the Spaniard.
The pressure is mounting on Emery amid speculation over his future as Gunners boss, with Arsenal fans growing increasingly frustrated amid a poor run of form in the Premier League.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo is one of a number of managers to have been linked with replacing Emery at the Emirates Stadium, but the Spaniard is set to take charge of the Europa League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt tonight in north London.
And while Arsenal can secure their place in the knockout stages of the competition by avoiding defeat at the Emirates Stadium, former Tottenham midfielder Jenas believes Emery needs more than that from his team.
“I’m interested to see how his team reacts,” he said, speaking as a pundit on BT Sport ahead of Arsenal's Europa League clash with the Bundesliga side.
“I’ve heard a lot from him about wanting to see his side dig in and actually prove the Arsenal fans wrong, because you are getting that sense in the stadium that it is not going well.
“I like the fact that he wants them to dig in, but can he do it, I’m not so sure.
“I feel like it is going the wrong way already, but a win [against Eintracht Frankfurt] and a performance would go a long way in terms of the confidence needed for the Arsenal fans and Unai Emery."
Jenas added that the 2-2 draw with struggling Southampton on Saturday, in which Alexandre Lacazette scored a 96th minute equaliser to rescue a point for the Gunners, was indicative of the problems Arsenal have had of late.
And he said that the "toxic" atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium is not helping the current situation as fans have shown their frustration at recent performances and results.
“It is goals like this against Southampton. The switching off and the lack of intensity, the lack of being in the moment and in the game," he said, analysing Danny Ings' goal for the Saints on Saturday.
“This was one of those toxic afternoons at the Emirates and I think Arsenal fans feel like there have been too many of those.
“They don’t want to react as they are, but unfortunately they are watching too many of those sort of performances on the pitch.
“You can put it down to recruitment, or management, or individuals on the pitch, or the football club being generally quite toxic at the minute.
“Either way, they need to figure it out and get back to winning."
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