Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes Unai Emery is finding it difficult to change the culture at Arsenal. The TV pundit says that any manager would have found it difficult to succeed Arsene Wenger after two decades under the Frenchman’s leadership:

“Unai Emery is getting put under big pressure – I do know that Unai Emery is a great coach. But post-Arsene Wenger was never going to be easy. I said before, ‘be careful what you wish for, it’s not going to be easy’.”

“People will say Arsene Wenger should have been let go earlier. Great coaches will come into Arsenal and find it difficult to change culturally there what’s gone on and what’s happened.”

Neville made the comparison to when Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013 and the struggles that the Red Devils have had to endure under successive managers since then:

“I’ve seen it at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson left. These two men were institutions at their football club, they were more than coaches. They were CEOs, they were the leader of the club in every single way.”

“Everybody looked up to them, they were the only boss at each of the clubs. And it’s going to take time. So there is going to need to be some patience shown at Arsenal – as there has been at Manchester United.”

Emery’s job is currently not under threat despite his side’s defeat to Leicester City at the weekend. There are no plans to replace Spaniard with reports that former Barcelona and Spain manager Luis Enrique could succeed him having been dismissed.

The fact that Emery has a worse record in his first 50 matches in charge compared to Wenger’s last 50 has certainly raised significant doubts about the manager’s ability to succeed at the Emirates. Wenger accrued 98 points in his final 50 games whilst Emery has only managed 97.