With a 1-0 home defeat to Blackburn in the FA Cup Arsene Wenger slid closer to the exit door at Arsenal than perhaps ever before. The Champions League is now Arsenal’s only hope for silverware but with the runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich standing in the way that seems a distinctly remote source of hope.

Newstalk Breakfast’s Phil Egan spoke to Phil Thompson this morning and asked him about the future for Arsenal and Arsene. Thompson was sure Wenger would “do the right thing for Arsenal”, although it has never felt so close to the end for the Frenchman.

Thompson told Phil that this isn’t a problem from this season, and Arsenal have been building towards this for several years through a poor transfer market record and a lack of natural leaders on the field.

Thompson also talked about Roberto Mancini's suggestion that a 4-0 win over Leeds in the cup might be the start of a title fightback.

He wasn't entirely convinced, to put it mildly.