Arsenal icon Jens Lehmann asserts that Gunners manager Mikel Arteta will be dismissed next season if he fails to secure the Premier League title.
The Gunners are poised to finish second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season after Liverpool was confirmed as champions on Sunday.
A remarkable 5-1 victory against Tottenham secured the Reds’ 20th English top-tier championship, with Arne Slot’s team 15 points clear of Arsenal as they approached the last four games of the season.
Arsenal have struggled to match Liverpool in the latter half of the season, but their strong performance in the Champions League has lifted their spirits.
Two exceptional performances versus Real Madrid guaranteed a 5-1 aggregate victory in the quarter-finals, securing their spot against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Even though Arsenal had several good opportunities to score, they were unable to penetrate PSG's defense during their first leg match. Ousmane Dembele's early goal has provided the French team with a 1-0 advantage going into the second leg next Wednesday.
Arsenal still has a possibility of reaching the final and securing some trophies this season, but Lehmann believes Arteta will probably be dismissed next season unless he clinches the Premier League title.
Lehmann said to talkSPORT: “I believe he began poorly, but you must give him a lot of credit.”
“He extricated himself, revamped the team, and now he has made them very stable, remaining at the top, which is excellent for the current owner, as it brings in revenue.”
"And furthermore, if they lose, he isn't required to give him additional bonuses!"
Lehmann added: “Clearly, he must win next year."
"This year, they had the chance to win [the Premier League], as Man City slipped slightly, with Liverpool taking their place."
"Next year he must succeed, but he likely needs to adjust his personality slightly to achieve that."
"At times, it's about exercising control and being careful." However, if you aim to achieve certain victories, I believe you might consider being slightly more adventurous.
"However, that’s for next year – next week is extremely crucial; I hope they will net two goals and won't let any in."
Mikel Merino, who has been filling in as a temporary striker for Arsenal in recent months, claims that the Gunners “are eager to head to Paris” following their loss in the first leg of the Champions League.
Merino informed journalists: “It was a challenging match." Every moment is crucial, and during the initial 10-15 minutes we may not have played at our usual level, but I believe the team bounced back effectively after the goal. We displayed plenty of character and spirit, and we nearly controlled the remainder of the match.
"We recognize that we possess an excellent team, a strong team, and we are truly assured that we will triumph in the second leg." I believe individuals are hopeful. We understand that what we presented today is merely the start of who we are, and we are certainly very confident and truly empowered for the second leg.
"I believe we will discover that we can overpower any team, anywhere." This is a team that genuinely aims to control the ball consistently and desires to keep you confined in your area.
"Today we demonstrated that we can compete with anyone and be the dominant team on the field." Today demonstrated that we are truly able to perform in any setting. "We're excited to visit Paris."
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