Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could lose his job if the Gunners aren't in a good position come December, Dean Jones reports.
What's the latest news involving Mikel Arteta?
Whilst appearing on The Football Terrace, transfer expert Jones disclosed that while Arteta's job may not be in any immediate danger, his position at the North London club isn't safe like it was last season.
"Arteta's not going to be sacked after one game. People immediately linking him on the back of a defeat to losing his job and [Antonio] Conte coming in, there's nothing in that right now. What there is something in is the fact that Arteta's job isn't safe like it was last season," he said.
Jones went on to claim that if Arsenal aren't in a good position at the end of 2021 then the Gunners might consider making a managerial change.
"Last season was basically a free hit for him, and there was no chance he was going to lose his job at that time. That's not the case anymore. We'll have to see how he comes out of this transfer window and then into the season proper.
"If Arsenal aren't in a strong position coming into December then I do think his job's on the line, and I do think that Arsenal will consider a change."
Check out what Dean Jones said in full about Arteta's situation in the video below...
What is Arteta's overall record for Arsenal?
Arteta has been in charge of Arsenal for 87 games, winning 47, drawing 16 and losing 24 - which equates to a winning percentage of 54%.
In the Premier League under the Spanish manager, the North London club have finished in eighth place twice, but they did win the FA Cup in 2019/20.
How did Arsenal fare in the first game of the season?
Arsenal started the Premier League season poorly, losing 2-0 to recently promoted Brentford.
The Gunners were without the strike pairing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette but they didn't create enough chances on the night to win the game, while they clearly weren't tight enough in defence either.
It doesn't look like it will get any easier for Arsenal in the next two league games, as they face Chelsea and Manchester City.
Is it time for Arsenal to sack Arteta?
It is too early in the season for Arsenal to consider sacking Arteta.
They've only played one game and the old adage goes that at least ten are needed to get an accurate reflection of early-season performance. Perhaps if Arsenal are near the relegation zone at Christmas then there would be grounds to sack Arteta.
But if the Gunners are comfortably in the top-half of the table and challenging for the European spots, then he should be kept on.