Arsenal news: Unai Emery explains why he needs time to turn Gunners' fortunes around

The Spaniard took over at the Emirates in the summer following Arsene Wenger's exit after 22 years at the helm

Unai Emery has called for time as he looks to turn around Arsenal's fortunes.

The Spaniard took over at the Emirates in the summer following Arsene Wenger's exit after 22 years at the helm. His tenure has been an up and down one thus far with an early season run which included a 22-game unbeaten sequence but also damaging defeats at Liverpool, Southampton and, most recently, West Ham.

Add to that Sven Mislintat's impending departure as head of recruitment and the Gunners remain a club firmly in transition with Emery admitting he had much to assess when he arrived in north London.

"When a club changes manager, it is because they want something new," he told Sky Sports. "The challenge is to identify the good things – the things you have to maintain – but also the things that you have to change and improve. Here, obviously, there were lots of things to change and improve."

Arsenal sit fifth ahead of Saturday's home game with Chelsea and still a way behind in the race for the top four.

Emery is aware of the challenge at hand but believes he has the club on the right track.

"The adaptation of the club and team is progressing in a positive way," he added. "In terms of getting into the Champions League and finishing in the top four, which is our main objective, it is true that we are not there right now. The competitive level is very high.

"But firstly, I believe we have time to achieve that this season. And secondly, we knew there were going to be difficulties in this process. The most important thing is to be aware that the difficulties will come, and at that moment still be able to make progress.

"That is the idea. The idea is to get Arsenal back to where the club deserves to be, but it needs time."