Freddie Ljungberg breaks his silence on replacing Unai Emery after Arsenal sacking

The legendary Swede has been appointed on a temporary basis after the club sacked Emery earlier on Friday

Arsenal interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg has said he will "give everything I have to put smiles on faces again" having replaced the sacked Unai Emery at the helm in north London.

Emery was given the boot on Friday morning following the Gunners 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday night, a result which saw his position become untenable.

Arsenal said in a statement that Emery had been sacked "due to results and performances not being at the level required."

Emery arrived at London Colney on Friday expecting to lead training as normal but was beckoned into a meeting and delivered the news that the Spaniard was no longer required.

Ljungberg, who was previously the club's U23 coach before taking up an assistant role under Emery, has been placed in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

The legendary Swede will no doubt want the role himself but the likes of Max Allegri, Carlo Ancelotti and former midfielder Mikel Arteta have been linked with the role in the future.

Ljungberg took training at London Colney on Friday morning ahead of the trip to Norwich this weekend and posted to Twitter this afternoon for the first time since taking up the role.

He said: "However long I oversee @Arsenal for I will give everything I have to put smiles on faces again. We have a busy few weeks ahead and the team needs your support. Let’s get to work!"

In his only full season in charge Emery led Arsenal to fifth place in the Premier League, a run of two wins in their final seven games seeing them throw away a top four finish, and a Europa League final where defeat to Chelsea cost them Champions League qualification.

Returning to Europe's top competition is a major priority for Arsenal both in terms of finances and prestige. It was felt that the club's chances of qualifying were greater without Emery than with him.