Arsenal should be considering Pochettino - Keown

The Gunners legend believes the club must have a look at their rival's former coach as the pressure builds on Unai Emery

Posted Thursday, November 21, 2019 by Goal.com

Former Arsenal defender has called on the club to consider appointing Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager.

Pochettino was sacked by Spurs on Tuesday after five years in charge and swiftly replaced by Jose Mourinho.

The dismissal comes as Gunners manager Unai Emery continues to fight for his own job with the club without a win in their past five matches.

With Emery hanging by a thread, Keown believes Arsenal would be stupid not to have a think about replacing the Spaniard with Pochettino.

"There's no need for panic at Arsenal, we are getting close but the people at the top of the club should be considering Pochettino," Keown said while speak at a Sportsmail event in London.

"I think this is a hugely significant sacking that could cause massive ripples throughout the Premier League.

"Managers will be looking over their shoulders now. A lot of chairmen will want him. Real Madrid would take him, I think Arsenal would have to look at him."

Whether Pochettino would even consider moving to his old club's rivals however remains to be seen.

As it stands, Keown is concerned about the direction Emery is taking the Gunners and recently declared he's now working on borrowed time.

“We’ve lost that brand of football Arsenal had, the beautiful football they played under Arsene Wenger," Keown told TalkSport.

“We’re losing our identity and we need to get it back really quickly. He looks like a man under pressure.

“He’s getting fractious in the media in terms of his communication, every time we see him it’s three-word answers, it’s not quite the projection the club will want.

“He really needed a break and he got one, so he’s got to bounce back now. The board will back him as long as they can, but he needs to improve the performances.

“I wish Emery well, but I believe we’re now on borrowed time.”

After losing 2-0 against Leicester City prior to the international break, Arsenal return to action with a home game against Southampton on Saturday.

The Gunners currently sit sixth in the Premier League, eight points shy of fourth-placed Manchester City and 17 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.