John Hartson has hit out at Arsenal’s new interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg over his lack of support on the touchline despite admitting that Unai Emery “had to go”.

Emery was sacked by the north London club on Friday morning after a Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt extended the team’s winless run to seven matches in all competitions.

Hartson, who played for Arsenal as a striker between 1995 and 1997 and now works as a pundit, supported the decision to dismiss the Spaniard, but questioned Ljungberg’s contribution against Frankfurt.

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Ex-Gunners midfielder Ljungberg had been working as assistant first-team coach under Emery this season after being promoted during the summer.

“Ljungberg was a great help to Emery last night sat down for 90 mins” Hartson tweeted. “Surely you get in the manager’s ear if you can see what’s going wrong.. Emery had to go.”

Ray Parlour though says his former Arsenal team-mate will immediately fix the Gunners’ problematic defence.

“Get a unit set and I think Freddie would do that because he played in sides that did that. When we played against sides and we were in front but right up against it, he knows how to organise that midfield area because it’s not all about the defence, it’s about the shield in front of them,” said Parlour.

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After being chosen in May 2018 as the man to follow Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign, Emery missed out on Champions League qualification in his first season having finished fifth in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final.

The Gunners are currently eighth in the top flight following just four wins from 13 matches ahead of Sunday’s match at Norwich.

Source: Football 365

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