What Freddie Ljungberg told Arsenal's players after Unai Emery's sacking

Freddie Ljungberg urged Arsenal’s players to stick together following the club’s decision to sack Unai Emery on Friday, according to reports.

Following the 2-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday evening, Arsenal’s hierarchy took the decision to dismiss Emery on Friday morning at the club’s training ground.

Arsenal’s latest loss means that the club are now on their worst run of form since February 1992.

And in a statement released by Arsenal on Friday the club said: ‘The decision has been taken due to results and performances not being at the level required.’

When speaking to his players in the dressing room after their defeat to Frankfurt, Emery gave no indication that he was on the verge of being sacked and urged his squad to focus on Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Norwich City.

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Emery’s assurance of his own position at the club continued on Friday morning as he arrived to take training at London Colney.

But the Spaniard was called into a meeting with Arsenal’s head of football Raul Sanllehi and their technical director Edu where he was delivered the news.

Separately, Arsenal’s players were informed of Emery’s departure and according to Sky Sports, Ljungberg told Arsenal’s players to ‘stick together, turn this around and play for the shirt’.

Emery was given the chance to say goodbye to the players and wish them well before Ljungberg took his first training session as interim manager.

It’s reported that Emery took the decision in a ‘respectful manner’.