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After a pretty remarkable start to his first season, Emery is now struggling to find momentum with his side. It is renowned for clubs to be stretched to their fullest capacity and potential in winter, as Premier League clubs battle multiple fixtures in a week, and have little time to rest.
With injuries to experienced players of the club, the manager has found it hard to get as many points as he can in December.
Liverpool's 5-1 thrashing will definitely leave a blemish on Emery's record as Arsenal's manager.
It was also one of the heaviest defeats the Gunners have suffered in the Premier League. With that result, lets look at the possible impacts on the Gunners.
#3 Arsenal's confidence
After losing the first two matches of the season to Manchester City and Chelsea, Emery's side started a long unbeaten streak across all competitions. They even advanced as leaders of their Europa League group, and climbed to a PL position where they distanced themselves from Manchester United who are in sixth.
However, the North London club came crashing back to reality after they lost to Southampton at St Mary's Stadium. Thereafter, the Gunners lost their second match in a row in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals when they faced Tottenham.
Those two losses seemed to have dampened the spirit of the team and their fans. The Emirates was filled with pockets of space when they hosted Burnley. In that match, the Gunners beat their opponents 3-1 after finally leading for the first time at the end of the first-half.
Amidst Liverpool's great run, and Arsenal's defensive frailties, the Gunners were given a thrashing at Anfield. They lost the match 5-1 to the current Premier League leaders, and this would surely affect the confidence of the team.
Things would not have looked so bad if Arsenal had managed to secure more points against clubs such as Brighton and Crystal Palace earlier in the season.
Now that so many flaws in the team have been exposed, it would be tough for the players to regain confidence in themselves. They will face Fulham on New Year's Day, and hopefully, a victory at home could help reduce damage done by the thrashing.
#2 Spending in January
Many experienced defenders are currently on the treatment table, and they include the likes of Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal, and Rob Holding. Although Arsenal welcomed back Laurent Koscielny, the aged captain is only gradually adapting to the demands of playing against top clubs in the Premier League.
The current back-line looks a mess as Emery constantly switches between playing a back three and a back four. More often than not, the former Paris-Saint Germain coach hopes to utilise his wing-backs, and thus he opts for a back three.
However, with the fear of conceding goals, the wing-backs eventually spend the majority of their time defending, and Arsenal end up playing with five defenders.
With Monreal and Koscielny already in their 30s, it is time the Gunners spend on getting a reliable defender for the long-term future. Holding's knee injury is likely to see him miss the rest of the season, and Emery has few options at the back.
There are reports stating the North London club could sign Gary Cahill on a loan for the rest of the season. The Chelsea defender is said to be keen to continue playing in the Premier League after a lack of regular game-time this season.
With spending always limited for Arsenal, it would be tough to expect any major signings in January, even though they may be required. The Gunners could be forced to make do with what they have in the squad, and eventually pull through to the summer before deciding on who to purchase.
#1 Top four hopes
Arsenal are currently two points away from Chelsea who are in fourth and have a game in hand. Manchester United are catching up, and the Red Devils could reduce the gap between them and Arsenal by beating Bournemouth.
With Tottenham and Chelsea dropping points to unexpected opponents this season, there is still a high chance of the Gunners reaching the Champions League qualification spots, despite losing to Liverpool.
The race for the title could be left to Liverpool and last season's winners, Manchester City. As for Arsenal, their priority should now be qualifying for the Champions League, and they would have to compete with Tottenham, Chelsea, and United for the limited spots.
The manager has a nice record of winning Europa League titles, and could channel his focus on doing well in the competition. Last season, Arsene Wenger brought his team to the semi-finals, before losing to Atletico Madrid and getting eliminated from the competition.
Emery has won the title thrice with Sevilla, and could target another UEL title with Arsenal, just in case they miss out on the PL top four spots.
