Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has said that manager Arsene Wenger deserves recognition for his achievements at the club, while conceding that his time is most likely up in north-London.
The Gunners slipped out of the top-four last weekend after losing to Liverpool, prompting mass protests from Arsenal fans who believe their manager of 21 years should leave the club.
Manchester United are snapping at the heels of their old foes, only one point behind Arsenal in sixth but they are on a run of 17 games unbeaten.
Keown believes that if Arsenal fail to make their way back into the top-four, Wenger's time as their manager will almost certainly be over at the end of the season.
"There is a quality about him as a man that is unusual in football. If you play for him, you are drawn to him," he told the Daily Mail.
"But is he still at the highest level? Is he still able to mix it with Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino?
'I feel we produced the game we wanted..my team played very well.' - Wenger, just now.
WE LOST 5-1, YOU IMBECILE. #WengerOUT
"Arsene Wenger, you're killing our club"???
Seriously go to Coventry, Blackburn, Orient etc if you want to know what a clubkiller looks like
"They are bright, hungry, young managers. Arsenal could finish outside the top four this season, which might provide the answer.
"None of us are worthy to tap him on the shoulder and convince him his time is up at Arsenal. He has to see it for himself.
"I'm pretty certain he does know it. But he wants to go out as a winner, as a champion.Football is his best friend. Maybe winning the FA Cup and finishing in the top four might achieve that.
"He has been the greatest manager in Arsenal's history and he deserves to go without so much fury and recrimination."