Pressure mounts on Wenger
and said, ‘This could be any score you want’.”
Once more the spotlight falls on Arsene Wenger, a manager whose glorious reputation is being tarnished.
The club are now sixth in the table, a massive 27 points behind leaders City, who visit the Emirates on Thursday night. They are out of the FA Cup following a third-round defeat at Nottingham Forest and up against Italian giants AC Milan in the last 16 of the Europa League next week. Sunday was the chance to garner both silverware and support.
But as Lois Langton, chair of the Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association, said, there is no surprise at this outcome.
“What we witnessed was the culmination of years of arrogance and stubbornness. The solution is blindingly obvious and it is painful to watch what is happening to our wonderful club,” said Langton.
“Manchester City are an outstanding team. It is no disgrace to lose to them. What is a disgrace is the manner of the loss, the repetition of mistakes that we have seen countless times before and the post-match soundbites that are offered up as some sort of justification for losses.”
She feels the match “must mark a turning point” and added: “The board must grasp the nettle. It is clear that steps have already been taken to secure the future of the club but the hardest decision of all still sits with the club and that concerns the manager.
“Nobody is denying what he has achieved for the club but that cannot be used as a self-serving justification to prevent change.
“It simply cannot continue.”