Arsenal Legend Says Gunners Fans Can Start Judging New Coach Unai Emery After West Ham Win

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has said that Gunners fans can now start judging their new coach Unai Emery based on Saturday's performance against West Ham.

Emery was given a tough pair of opening fixtures as the new Arsenal boss against the previous two Premier League champions - Manchester City and Chelsea - and suffered two consecutive defeats.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/GettyImages

But the former PSG and Sevilla manager got his first Premier League points on the board as the north London side beat cross-city rivals West Ham 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

And Keown, who spent thirteen years as a player at Arsenal over two different spells, has said that now is the time to start seeing what the real Arsenal will be like under Unai Emery.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 52-year-old said, "Against West Ham - a match that Arsenal would be expected to win - is the first time we can really judge Emery.

Michael Regan/GettyImages

"The concern after the first two games is that the players have taken the changes the manager wants too literally. Emery's Arsenal play with a high line; when you do so you have to be prepared to drop off and no one is.

"They also play out from the back but when that becomes impossible you have to play it forward."

During the first half, it looked like Arsenal were heading for a third straight defeat as Marko Arnautovic put the Hammers 1-0 up on Saturday. But an instant reply from Nacho Monreal, an own goal from Issa Diop, and a last minute strike from Danny Welbeck gave the Gunners, and Emery, their first three points of the season.

IAN KINGTON/GettyImages

Arsenal will be hoping to continue their surge up the Premier League table when they take on Cardiff City in their next match on Sunday afternoon.