In an appearance on BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Chris Sutton called Stan Kroenke “a joke” for not getting rid of Arsène Wenger earlier in the summer.

Arsène Wenger came to the end of his three-year deal earlier in the summer, and as a result the decision had to be made about whether to offer him a new contract. After a meeting with Stan Kroenke, a two-year extension was signed, although believed to have been on the table for some time.

Sutton says that the blame for Sunday’s 4-0 defeat therefore has to lie with the Arsenal owner as well as the manager. He said: “You have to blame the manager and the people employing him. Kroenke’s a joke,” reports the Daily Mail.

“[Ivan] Gazidis is keeping him in a job. Kroenke is keeping him in a job. They have to stand up and sack him. They’ve let Arsene Wenger run amok. He’s chosen his future. He was disrespectful to the Arsenal supporters last season. He should have gone.

“Is it a surprise they’re in a mess? No. He’s stayed at the club on FA Cup wins but Portsmouth and Wigan have won the FA Cup – and look where they are.”

The parallels to Portsmouth and Wigan are perhaps a step too far, as they didn’t win the FA Cup and finish in the top-four of the Premier League three times each in those four years. However, the point does stand that cup success clearly isn’t enough for fans any more.

Whilst it is always promising to see that your team can stand up on the day at Wembley and beat the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, it’s not enough if the performances against the same teams over the league season are lacklustre and leave you well behind the pace at the top.

Arsenal need to turn things round, with or without Arsène Wenger, because the rest of the big six are pulling away.