Mikel Arteta must guide Arsenal to Europa League glory to save their season… and his job.
That’s according to one of the club’s Invincibles legends, Martin Keown, who believes Arteta could go the same way as Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho if the Gunners crash out on Thursday night.
Arsenal host Villarreal, and welcome back former manager Unai Emery to the Emirates Stadium, for the second-leg of their semi-final tie, with the north London outfit trailing 2-1.
If they manage to overturn the deficit, it could see Arsenal and Manchester United – who lead Roma 6-2 – meet in the final in a remarkable all-English double-header, with Chelsea beating Real Madrid to set up a battle with Man City for the Champions League title on May 26.
But Arteta has a lot of work to do to get there, if their first-leg defeat was anything to go by.
The Spaniard was heavily criticised – and even labelled a ‘fake Pep Guardiola’ – for making wholesale tactical changes to his team for the crucial tie, including starting the game without a recognised striker.
Keown branded parts of their first-leg defeat ‘the worst Arsenal performance for a number of years’, and said Arteta’s future will be hanging by a thread if they fail to progress to the final – which would be the unwanted icing on the cake of a horrible season for the Gunners.
Asked if Arteta’s future will be in the balance if they crash out to Emery and Villarreal, Keown told talkSPORT host Jim White: “I think it always is at a big club.
“If you look at Chelsea and Spurs, they are both above Arsenal in the Premier League but they have both got rid of their managers this season, and that turned Chelsea’s season around.
“This is very much a rescue mission for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, because the season has been a bit of a disappointment.
“To be ninth in the Premier League table, they’ve lost nine games at home, they’ve only scored 19 goals in 17 home matches.
“They are huge problems, but they can all be fixed by getting to the Europa League final and winning it – that puts you back into the big time.
“Yes, there is huge pressure, but this is when you have to relish it and love being in these situations.
“We’ve got two English clubs in the Champions League final, let’s try and get two into the Europa League final, too. It is possible.”
Asked for his verdict ahead of the match, Keown insisted the manager must forget about his tactical blunders from the previous leg and name an all-out attacking side to secure the win.
“They’ve got to attack it – the best form of defence is to attack,” he added.
“Obviously they need just the one goal, but I dont think it’s a team that is capable of scoring one goal and shutting up shop in the way Arsenal might have done many years ago.
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“So he has to attack. In the first leg where they played without a centre-forward and with [Emile] Smith Rowe as a false nine, it didn’t work out at all, the players didn’t seem to know their roles and responsibilities.
“To make the changes he did, to tinker with a very young group of players in such a huge game, the team just didn’t turn up.
“In those opening 20 minutes it was probably the worst performance we’ve seen from an Arsenal team for a number of years. They survived, really. It could have been a lot worse.
“So Arteta has to give a clear picture for the players, and they have to go after it. They know their target, and I think that’ll help them.
“Put on their finest performance of the season, because that’s what it requires.”