Unai Emery orders Arsenal flops to show ‘solidarity’ to outside world after Watford horror show despite cracks and factions in dressing room

UNAI EMERY ordered Arsenal players to show “solidarity” to the outside world during a team dinner called straight after the Watford debacle.

Gunners stars dined at trendy Mayfair restaurant Novikov with the management following their catastrophic defensive performance in the 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road.

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In an attempt to salvage team spirit, under-pressure boss Emery told his squad that the critics were watching for their reaction.

The Spaniard ordered them to put on a united front — despite huge cracks and factions developing within the dressing room.

Emery wants to portray the image that the players all get on and are a tightly-knit unit.

But that could not be further from the truth after skipper Granit Xhaka claimed Arsenal’s players were “scared” at times during their pathetic second-half collapse, when they tossed away a two-goal lead.

According to Arsenal insiders, there is a lack of discipline at the club and Emery has struggled to exert any authority over an unruly dressing room.

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who scored both of Arsenal’s goals, criticised team-mates for gifting Hornets a draw.

The striker, 30, then went on to party until 3am following the latest poor showing by Emery’s side.

Emery is also having major issues on the field because of his bonkers obsession with playing out from the six-yard box.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos gave away possession inside his own box from a short goal kick to tee up Tom Cleverley.

Then David Luiz conceded a penalty for the Watford leveller.

Bernd Leno admitted his team are struggling to exploit the Premier League’s new goal-kick rules.

Goalkeepers no longer need to pass outside the penalty area before the ball becomes live.

It means opposition players can now intercept a pass in the box, as the Gunners discovered to their cost on Saturday.

Keeper Leno, 27, said: “It has changed the game a lot because the first pass is always without pressure to, for example, the centre-backs.

“The rule changed the game and it’s new for everybody. We have to work with this change.”

Reuters