Chris Sutton has called Stan Kronke a ‘joke’ for not sacking Arsene Wenger.

The former Blackburn striker brands himself as a pundit who “tells it like it is” and was once again laying down some hard truths.

The target of his ire this time was the hierarchy of Arsenal, specifically majority shareholder Stan Kroenke and Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis. He believes the two are responsible for allowing Arsene Wenger to keep his job.

“You have to blame the manager and the people employing him. Kroenke’s a joke,” Sutton said, as reported by 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. 

“Above him is where the problem lies in [Stan] Kroenke and [Ivan] Gazidis. I would have binned him [Wenger] last season.

“Who carries the can? It goes far further than the manager, it goes up to Kroenke and Gazidis. 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. He won the Community Shield but no-one wants to win the Community Shield anyway.”

Kroenke is perhaps the most hated figure at the club for a variety of reasons. That he was seemingly responsible for Wenger’s new contract is one of those reasons.

Many fans felt that Wenger should have walked after the FA Cup win over Chelsea back in May, while some believe the choice should have been taken out of his hands.

It’s no secret that Kroenke has a lot of admiration for Wenger and wants him in charge of the team no matter the circumstances. Him sacking the manager was never likely.

As for Gazidis, nobody can be sure if he even has the power to sack a manager.

Gazidis’ “catalyst for change” line towards the end of last season backfired spectacularly this summer when Wenger signed a new deal and proceeded to not change anything about the club.

When it comes to deciding how Arsenal do things, Gazidis is seemingly behind Kroenke and Wenger.