Former Fulham defender Liam Rosenior has insisted that Unai Emery must be given time to implement his own playing style at Arsenal.

Emery replaced Arsene Wenger as head coach of the Gunners at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, and the Spaniard's reign began with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

Emery has already faced criticism for Arsenal's style during the 90 minutes, but Rosenior, who retired from professional football last month to take up punditry and a coaching role with Brighton & Hove Albion, has said that the 46-year-old must be given time.

"That Arsenal team have been struggling for a few years and it takes time to build something, and if you deviate from that straight away you already give away your power and style of play. It took [Pep] Guardiola time to get Manchester City playing the way he wanted," Rosenior told Sky Sports News.

"Emery has come in at Arsenal, and they're trying to get in the top four, he's trying to play the same way. He's won titles with Sevilla, he's won three Europa Leagues in a row, and I find it a bit disrespectful to have a go at him trying to build something in the same way Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have in the past.

"Sam Allardyce was having a go at a manager who's just had his first game, playing against the best team in the league, trying to put a stamp on his philosophy into this club - let's see how Arsenal do in six months in six months' time, because I saw a lot of good in their play.

"Yes they lost, yes [Petr] Cech made mistakes playing out, but I saw them being able to press the ball because they were trying to rest in possession."

Arsenal will look to bounce back from the City loss when they travel to Chelsea in Saturday's late kickoff.