Arsenal boss Unai Emery is 'doomed' because he is 'at war with his players'

That's according to pundit Garth Crooks, who says Gunners players looked like "schoolchildren terrified of their headmaster" in their 2-0 defeat to high-flying Leicester City on Saturday.

Arsenal's defeat was a big blow to their top-four hopes, with Leicester climbing into second place and opening up a nine-point gap over Emery's side.

The pressure is increasing on Emery, with the Gunners are now in sixth place, with an eight-point deficit to make up to catch fourth-placed Manchester City .

Crooks picked two Leicester players in his Premier League team of the week - goalscorer Jamie Vardy and defender Ricardo Pereira.

Unai Emery 'always appears to be at odds with his players' (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)

In explaining his decision to pick Vardy, Crooks said: "Twenty goals in 22 games for Leicester since the arrival of Brendan Rodgers at Leicester tells me that the former Liverpool and Celtic manager is doing with Jamie Vardy precisely what Unai Emery is not doing at Arsenal .

"Everybody at Leicester looks like they love playing for Rodgers and no-one more so than Vardy.

"Meanwhile Emery, who looks like he's eaten a lemon before his post-match interviews, always appears to be at odds with his players. A manager who is constantly at war with his players is doomed."

Arsenal had the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Mesut Ozil at their disposal on Saturday, but could not breach Leicester's defence.

Garth Crooks says Arsenal have 'talented players' but 'looked in disarray' against Leicester (
Image:
Getty)

Former Tottenham and Stoke City forward Crooks said of Leicester: "Eight wins in 10 league games and the best defensive record in the Premier League says it all.

"Exactly how much of that is down to Ricardo Pereira is difficult to quantify. What I can say is the Portugal international was outstanding against an Arsenal team who looked in total disarray.

"The Gunners have some very talented players so why are they looking like a team of nervous school children terrified of their headmaster?"