Will the sack loom if we taste FA Cup defeat?

Paul Merson believes Arsene Wenger could face the chop if the Gunners crash out of the FA Cup to Manchester United on Monday night.

Both clubs are battling to finish in the top four and qualify for next season’s Champions League and the FA Cup pose there only realistic chance of silverware.

The winners of Monday night’s FA Cup quarter-final are likely to go on and lift the cup, with Liverpool the only other real threat, and Merson reckons both managers cannot afford a defeat:

‘Whichever manager loses will be under severe pressure. Whoever goes out of the cup will just be playing for the top four – and neither team is guaranteed to finish in there this season.

‘You can’t tell me that either of those managers will still be in a job next season if they go out of the cup and don’t finish in the top four.

‘Van Gaal has spent a fortune and has to qualify for the Champions League. Winning the FA Cup might save him. Not doing either? It’s goodbye. But I don’t think winning the FA Cup would be enough to save Wenger if they don’t finish in the top four again.’

I have no doubt that should Van Gaal not win any silverware and fails to finish in the top four then he will more than likely be sacked. As for Wenger, I don’t believe a loss to United will see him being put under severe pressure as Merson claims. As long as the Frenchman manages to qualify for next season’s Champions League then he will be alright, maybe not with many fans but certainly the Arsenal board. Before last season’s FA cup triumph we went nine years without silverware but Wenger remained, so why would it be any different this time around?

Should Wenger fail to win the FA Cup and not claim a top four spot then questions may perhaps be asked, but the Frenchman still has two years left on his current deal and I expect to see him at the Emirates – even if it turns out to be an unsuccessful season.