Unai Emery insists he won’t be affected by growing criticism of his Arsenal reign as the misfiring Gunners bid to get back on track at Huddersfield on Saturday.
Emery’s side head to Huddersfield confident they can use the Premier League’s bottom club as a cure for travel sickness that has seen them fail to win outside the Emirates Stadium in that competition since November 25.
Arsenal fans were not impressed with an insipid performance in their 3-1 loss at Manchester City last week that suggested Emery has yet to get to grips with problems he inherited from Arsene Wenger at the end of last season.
But the fixture list has been kind to the Spaniard and three points at Huddersfield would keep sixth-placed Arsenal in contention for a top-four finish.
The trip to Yorkshire is followed by a long journey to Belarus to take on BATE Borisov next Thursday as the Europa League returns.
But Arsenal’s FA Cup elimination means they can enjoy a free weekend before completing the tie in London, with February then ending with winnable home games in the league against Southampton and Bournemouth.
Top four rivals Chelsea, in contrast, play Manchester City on Sunday and then Tottenham in the league before the end of the month.
Fifth-placed Manchester United have the distraction of a Champions League last 16 ties against Paris Saint Germain looming and take on Liverpool in the league later in February.
Arsenal will, therefore, have only themselves to blame if they finish the month in a weaker position than they began.
Emery, the most successful coach in Europa League history, can legitimately expect to wait until March before deciding whether that competition offers a more realistic opportunity of Champions League qualification than a league placing.
