The red mohican may be gone but the memories of Freddie Ljungberg remain for Arsenal fans, many of whom have spent weeks hoping their former player might be given an opportunity to take over from the struggling Unai Emery.

Ljungberg, Arsenals new interim head coach following Emerys sacking on Friday morning, has been working towards this moment ever since he was promoted to the first team this summer. His brief has been to lead the individual development of the younger players, but the reality of his position in the dugout has meant he was always going to be the next in line once Emerys time had drawn to a close.

Ljungbergs new role means that three of the Premier Leagues so-called big six are now managed by former players. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard have shown how an old flame can reignite the passions of a home crowd, at Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, and Ljungberg surfs into his new role on a wave of goodwill that had never been earned by his predecessor.

The current trend is, increasingly, for players who understand the club. Ljungberg ticks that box and the Swede, famously an underwear model during his playing days, will appreciate that ex-pros of his ilk are very much in vogue in the managerial winter collection of 2019. His appointment is an easy win, in PR terms, even if his first game at Norwich City is likely to be anything but.

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Freddie Ljungberg will be a popular choice with Arsenal players, but everything else is a total unknown - The Telegraph