Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has opened up on Unai Emery's future amid speculation linking the former club captain with a return to the Gunners.
Emery is enduring a rough start to his second season at the Emirates as Arsenal sit in sixth and eight points adrift of fourth place.
Manchester City are the side who occupies that final Champions League qualification spot ahead of the international break, with Arsenal having only won one of their last five league games.
The 2-0 defeat on the road at Leicester at the weekend further heaped the pressure on Emery and it has led to wild speculation and Arsenal coming to the defence of their manager.
Emery has time on his hands but that hasn't stopped links suggesting Vieira could be in the mix to take over.
However, the former France international has been quick to defend Emery and has issued a strong message to fans.
"It's true Arsenal are going through a tough spell," Vieira explained. "But I haven't watched all their matches, so I can't talk about their game.
"They have a coach who is qualified and who works well. When a club is having a difficult time, it's important to be united. I think he has enough experience to get them through this difficult spell.
"We have to get behind him and give him time to change things. I am not sure a change of manager will fix the problems."
The 43-year-old starred for Arsenal from 1996 to 2005, captaining the Gunners in his final three years following Tony Adams' retirement.
Vieira is now the manager of Nice but has been linked with a return to Arsenal down the line, something which he is not opposed to.
"If it’s my dream to coach Arsenal or France? Yes, like any player, when we do this job we want to touch the very high level," he said last month in an interview with RMC when asked about the potential of one day managing Arsenal or France.
"But we do this job, and I do this job, to one day to be the coach of a team that participates in the Champions League."
