Troy Deeney took aim at half of Arsenal’s starting XI after the side’s crushing 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, claiming six players ‘didn’t turn up’ as their lead at the highest was cut to 3 points.
Erling Haaland struck within the second half to steer second-placed City to inside three points of Arsenal, with Pep Guardiola’s men boasting a game in hand over the leaders ahead of their trip to Burnley on Wednesday night.
The Gunners produced a spirited display to offer hope of a morale-boosting victory, with Kai Havertz levelling just moments after Rayan Cherki’s solo piece of brilliance had lit up the Etihad within the sixteenth minute.
The visitors had their justifiable share of opportunities in an entertaining second half, with Eze striking against the woodwork and Havertz squandering an enormous likelihood after being put through by Martin Odegaard.
But City managed to preserve their narrow advantage, meaning a win at Turf Moor in midweek will send Guardiola’s side top of the Premier League table with five games remaining.
Arsenal return to the Emirates to play host to Newcastle in per week’s time, where they’ll little question be eager to bounce back and prove their title charge stays intact despite their wobble.
‘I imagine today, I imagine on Wednesday, I believed per week ago because I see them each day and I do know the extent that we’ve got,’ Arteta told reporters shortly after his side’s setback in Manchester.
‘But today, in the event that they have to be more convinced, I believe they at the moment are more convinced. We’re talking about it within the dressing room.
‘It’s a brand new league now. Now we have three points of advantage, they’ve the sport in hand.
‘All the pieces remains to be to play for. We understand how much we wish it and we should not going to stop!’
Dissecting Arsenal’s performance within the CBS Sports studio, ex-Watford captain suggested as many as six of the visitors’ starting XI fell below the required standards on the Etihad.
‘We discuss how great Manchester City are but you could have to say Noni Madueke didn’t turn up, Martin Zubimendi didn’t turn up, Martin Odegaard didn’t turn up, Cristhian Mosquera didn’t turn up, Piero Hincapie didn’t turn up.
‘And arguably, he’s a friend of mine, Declan Rice didn’t turn up.
‘When Arsenal have this many players not turning up and putting in a level of performance in that you just would expect, you could have to query it, you could have top query where they were.’
But while Deeney is anticipating an ‘epic meltdown’ amongst Arsenal’s fanbase, he believes the title race stays alive, with twists and turns still to are available the rest of the campaign.
He added: ‘This has created a beautiful storyline but in addition, I’ve been attempting to keep it in and be respectful, however the Arsenal meltdown can be epic. The web meltdown can be epic.
‘I believe the difference now for Arsenal is that normally that Newcastle game can be a very difficult game.
‘But every part that’s happening with Eddie Howe and Newcastle being in every single place in the mean time, that’s grow to be quite a bit easier.
‘Fulham, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace: you’ll normally say job done, you understand they’re going to win.
‘But West Ham have a little bit of form and so they’re fighting for his or her lives. Fulham and Marco Silva have had this weird season where they’ve probably not done anything.’
In line with Deeney, Arteta could also be forced to prioritise either the Premier League or the Champions League to make sure his side don’t finish the season trophyless once more.
‘In the midst of this there’s the Champions League semi-finals and you could have to prioritise considered one of the 2. I don’t think, with what we’re seeing in the mean time, that Arsenal can keep running these players into the bottom and keep doing it,’ the previous Birmingham striker continued.
‘Manchester City then again, all they should worry about now’s the Premier League. Obviously there’s the FA Cup, but in the event that they win this Premier League, with this squad…
‘He could put James Trafford in, Tijjani Reijnders in, John Stones, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Phil Foden for the FA Cup and that’s still an unbelievable team.
‘But these Premier League games have all grow to be a bit tougher for City and I still think there’s a little bit of a twist on this between Arsenal and Manchester City.’
Deeney made sure to single out Cherki for special praise after City’s victory, crediting the Frenchman with ‘adding something different’ to Guardiola’s squad this season.
‘These guys [Doku, Cherki and Semenyo] won it for Manchester City. They were capable of take Arsenal deep into the box,’ he went on.
‘This area [right-back] has been an issue for Arsenal, whether it’s been Mosquera, whether it’s been Ben White. Mosquera got a yellow card throughout the first 20 minutes and he couldn’t really get tight then.
‘I used to be a bit of bit upset, Doku could have gotten at Mosquera quite a bit more and really the goal was the primary time he gets at him.
‘But when you could have this player Cherki, it doesn’t matter. He’s by far Manchester City’s best player in the mean time and he also adds something different.’
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