Emery on the brink after latest defeat
UNAI Emery’s Arsenal tenure lurched onto the latest disaster as his side lost to Eintracht Frankfurt in front of a meagre Emirates Stadium crowd.
A 2-1 Europa League reverse means the Gunners are now winless in their last seven games, with Emery seemingly clinging to his job as other names continue to be linked with the post.
The Spaniard named a fairly strong side here, recalling Granit Xhaka for his first appearance since being stripped of the captaincy for swearing at supporters and naming Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack.
Aubameyang put Arsenal ahead only for Daichi Kamada to strike twice in nine second-half minutes.
Officially, 49,419 tickets were sold but in truth it was the lowest attendance in the history of a stadium that opened in 2006.
Aubameyang headed a glorious chance wide as Joe Willock got in the way of his captain.
Gabriel Martinelli then twice came close to opening the scoring, firstly capitalising on a rash Danny da Costa clearance to fire at Frederik Ronnow before seeing a glancing header cleared.
Emery’s experiment of deploying David Luiz as a defensive midfielder alongside Xhaka ended prematurely when the Brazil international was forced off injured.
The deadlock was eventually broken by Aubameyang. The skipper was picked out at the back post and his shot bounced up off Ronnow and in off the crossbar.
Calum Chambers blazed over in the second half before Arsenal were made to pay. Kamada was picked out on the edge of the box and curled a fine effort home.
Kamada then scored his second in quick succession as he lashed home from a corner.
There would be no late salvage job and, although barring a thrashing in Liege Arsenal are all-but through to the Europa League knockout rounds, it seems less and less likely that Emery will be in charge when they take place.