'Unai is the right man for the job' - Arsenal offer Emery vote of confidence

Unai Emery has been given a vote of confidence by the Arsenal hierarchy following the club's poor run of form.

The Gunners have gone five games without a win in all competitions and now sit eight points adrift of the top four following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Leicester City.

Arsenal’s poor results have seen Emery come in for mounting criticism - from fans and pundits - with legendary striker Ian Wright publicly calling for the club to sack the Spaniard.

Wright said: “Two wins in 10 in the league. No definitive style or plan. Negative goal difference. No improvement in the defence. Not creating anything. Why would Laca (Alexandre Lacazette) or Auba (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang) renew? Can't blame them!

"We have to make the tough decision Arsenal! It's not getting better!”

Emery brushed off questions about his future following Saturday’s defeat at the King Power Stadium and he has now received the public backing of Arsenal’s head of football Raul Sanllehi and managing director Vinai Venkatesham.

During a staff event at Arsenal on Monday - which was attended by 200 colleagues from across the club - Sanllehi and Venkatesham sent out a clear message of support for Emery, although they admitted that results needed to improve if the Gunners are to secure the top-four finish they crave.

“We are as disappointed as everyone else with both our results and performances at this stage of the season,” said Sanllehi and Venkatesham. "We share the frustration with our fans, Unai, players and all our staff as they are not at the level we want or expect.

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“Things need to improve to meet our objectives for the season, and we firmly believe Unai is the right man for the job, together with the backroom team we have in place. We are all working intensively behind the scenes to turn things around and are confident we will. 

“We never take our fantastic support for granted. We hope we can all stick together and get behind the team in this challenging period, as together we are stronger.”

Emery will look at Arsenal's next two Premier League fixtures as opportunities to turn his side's form around as they take on the division's bottom two teams in Southampton and Norwich City.

A Europa League meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt is sandwiched between at the Emirates Stadium, with last season's runners-up requiring a point to secure qualification for the knockout stages.