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Arsenal Vs Manchester United: 5 things we learned – Unai Emery out?

By Andrew Dowdeswell

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford to face a weakened Manchester United on Monday night. Here are five things we learned from the 1-1 draw.

On Monday night, Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford with one point in mind: precisely that, one point. Unai Emery again showed his conservative colours away from home, implementing a defensive gameplan to contain Manchester United’s counter-attack and thrust the creative onus onto Ole Gunnar Solkjaer’s workmanlike midfield. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and VAR combined for an equaliser after Scott McTominay’s first-half strike, but neither side created little else.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Welcome to the big time, Bukayo Saka

Here are five things we learned from the drab, quality-poor 1-1 draw.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal walks off the pitch at half time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal walks off the pitch at half time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

5. Not Unai Emery out, but not Unai Emery in either

There has been a growing argument surrounding Arsenal head coach Unai Emery in recent weeks. With his team putting in several lacklustre performances, despite some good results, an increasing number of fans have been calling for his sacking. Those shouts will only intensify after this defensive display.

I think the calls for him to be fired are stupid, rash and unfounded, knee-jerk and illogical. Expecting a manager to lead the club out of the Arsene Wenger era in a little over a year is outrageous and utterly futile. But at the same time, there are few positive signs that fans can point to in support of the underlying work that Emery is implementing.

This leads me to tread the middle ground: I am most certainly not in the ‘Emery out’ camp and I think anyone who is is not accurately analysing the situation. However, I am also not in the ‘Emery in’ camp either. Rather, the jury is still out, and if that is still the case after a second season in charge, it could spell trouble for the impassioned Spaniard.