Arsenal continue to back Mikel Arteta despite the prospect of missing out on European football entirely, according to David Ornstein.

On Thursday night, Arsenal’s hopes of bringing Champions League football back to the Emirates Stadium ended with a draw against Villarreal. The Gunners went into the match knowing they had to score to stay in the competition, but it ended 0-0.

Understandably, a lot of the blame has been directed towards the Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta. His team seemed to approach the match too timidly, such that when they tried to turn up the pressure in the second half it still wasn’t enough.

Arsenal are now set for a trophyless season, combined with the fact they sit 9th in the Premier League table, only ahead of Aston Villa – who have a game in hand – by a point.

For many, that makes it the worst Arsenal season that we’ve ever experienced. It’s been decades since the club had a campaign this bad. But it seems it’s not enough to immediately lose Arteta his job.

“Arsenal continue to back Mikel Arteta,” David Ornstein said on Sky Sports News. “I’ve certainly heard no suggestions to the contrary. Arsenal (hierarchy) seem to think that Arteta is a part of the solution, not a key part of the problem.”

“I think it would be fair on Mikel Arteta in the view of the Arsenal hierarchy to allow him this summer window and longer to prove he can be a success at Arsenal.

“So I don’t think his position is under threat despite some quite intense pressure that’s coming on him now.”

In fairness, we did hear some similar stories about Unai Emery not long before he was sacked, so I wouldn’t rule out anything entirely.

The difference was that Emery had already had a couple of summers, so it’s possible Arsenal really believe Arteta deserves another.