Arsenal fans might think it cannot get any worse as far as they are concerned, what with the consecutive 5-1 beatings handed out by Bayern Munich and Chelsea and Liverpool waltzing past their team like they weren't even there; but lose to Lincoln City, a non-league side, on Saturday in the FA Cup quarterfinal, and "Arsenal in crisis" will become a major understatement.
Arsenal vs Lincoln team news and playing XI
So, there is plenty at stake for the Gunners as they host the fairytale team of the FA Cup this year, with Arsene Wenger needing a win as badly as a living being needs oxygen (Ok, that's an exaggeration, but you know where this is going).
"The FA Cup is the next game, and of course, when you've had a disappointment like we had in the last game, it's important [to respond]," Wenger said.
"We are favourites, but when you are at a big club, you are favourites 90 per cent of the time and you have to deal with that. It's the next game and in the next game, people expect us to win, so there's a pressure there of course."
That is an understatement. If Wenger's Arsenal were to pick up anything but a win, his already under-scrutiny position will become close to impossible to justify staying on.
And how near-unbelievable it would be if Lincoln City, a non-league team, were the ones to put the final coffin in the Arsene Wenger era.
Lincoln will know Arsenal are vulnerable, they are almost there for the taking – so going for the jugular from the off should be the plan, with Danny Cowley saying his team are planning to turn this game into nine 10-minute contests.
"We must believe there is a way it can happen," Cowley, whose team upset Burnley in the previous round, said. "There is no way we can go into the game thinking we'll lose, because that's exactly what will happen.
"We have had the opportunity to pit our wits against the very best, the opportunity to be involved in really big games. We are determined to come out better from this experience.
"If we can play at our very best under all of the scrutiny of playing against world-class players, in front of 60,000 people at a fantastic stadium, then we will be better individually and collectively, so that is what we will be aiming to do."
When to Watch Live
Arsenal vs Lincoln City is scheduled for a 11pm IST, 5.30pm GMT start.
Live Streaming and TV information:
India: TV: Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD. Live Streaming: Sonyliv.
UK: TV: BT Sport 2. Live Streaming: Watch BT Sport.
USA: TV: Fox Sports 1. Live Streaming: FoxSoccer2Go.
Canada: TV: Sportsnet World. Live Streaming: Watch Sportsnet World.
Australia and New Zealand: TV: ESPN.
Middle East: TV: Bein Sports Arabia. Live Streaming: Bein Sports Connect.
