London, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsene Wenger’s side will be consigned to the indignity of Thursday nights in the unglamourous Europa League next term. Despite winning seven of their last eight games, Arsenal are in fifth place, one point behind Liverpool and three adrift of City.
Rocked by Arsenal’s failure to live up to his expectations, and with a succession of former players questioning his methods, Wenger has been under fire like never before in his 21-year reign.
As if finishing below arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the first time in 22 years wasn’t bad enough, Wenger’s bid to lead Arsenal into the Champions League for a 20th successive season has ended dismally.
To make matters worse, his former captain Tony Adams said Wenger “couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag” in an extract from his autobiography “Sober”, serialised in the Sun newspaper.
Wenger, however, brushed off the criticism from former defender Adams, whose coaching tenure at Granada has ended in relegation from La Liga in Spain.
Having refused to confirm if he will accept Arsenal’s offer of a new contract, the 67-year-old Wenger said this week said his future will be settled when he meets the club’s powerbrokers after the Gunners’ FA Cup final date with Chelsea on May 27.
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That’s it! City end the season in style – wrapping up third place and #UCL qualification with a stunning show at Vicarage Road ? pic.twitter.com/oDs29qnGdv
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 21, 2017
Scenes in Sydney… ? pic.twitter.com/uPVyRp3OkU
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 21, 2017
That’s the end of our @premierleague season. Three points today but it’s not enough to secure a top-four finish.#AFCvEFC pic.twitter.com/oGKoQnwKG9
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 21, 2017
A top-four place is sealed! pic.twitter.com/qQhZSnCNP0
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 21, 2017