Mikel Arteta has been warned that Arsenal are ‘not at the extent’ of two Champions League rivals despite their quarter-final first-leg win over Sporting.
The Premier League leaders have one foot within the Champions League semi-finals after beating Portuguese giants Sporting 1-0 in Lisbon on Tuesday night.
The tie looked set to finish in a stalemate before substitute Kai Havertz scored an injury-time winner to provide Arsenal a narrow advantage going into next week’s second leg on the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta’s side had lost back-to-back games for the primary time this season going into the match, suffering defeats to title rivals Manchester City within the Carabao Cup final and Championship side Southampton within the FA Cup.
Arsenal again did not hit top form out in Lisbon but will probably be greater than content with their night’s work as they chase a primary ever Champions League trophy.
Ex-Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley fully expects Arsenal to achieve the semi-finals after winning away from home but says the Gunners might want to ‘up their game’ to face any likelihood of winning the competition.
Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the primary leg of their quarter-final on the identical night and Burley said each those teams looked a cut above Arsenal, never mind other contenders within the draw similar to Champions League holders PSG and La Liga leaders Barcelona.
‘When it comes to the result you obviously take it,’ Burley said on ESPN. ‘Sporting are certainly one of the weakest teams left if not the weakest team but Arsenal haven’t been great, we all know that.
‘I imagine they’re home and dry after that result barring a disaster at home. Regardless of who the opposition is, Champions League quarter-finals, you get a 1-0 result in take back home next week – you’re taking that.
‘They’re going to should up their game though, in the event that they undergo against Sporting, which they need to, and get to the semi-finals, in the event that they don’t up their game… I mean, did you see the opposite game tonight, Real Madrid vs Bayern?
‘In the mean time Arsenal, whilst they’ve everybody talking in regards to the depth of their squad and that they’re probably going to win the Premier League, they should play higher.
‘That level that Bayern and Real Madrid got to today – and we all know they’ll each recuperate – I don’t think Arsenal… they’ve really got to flick that switch again to get to that level.
‘Is anybody surprised that Arsenal are winning 1-0 away at certainly one of the weakest teams left? That’s all I’m saying.
‘Greater picture, they’ve to search out the additional gears that they’d initially of the season, or they’re not going to win this competition. I’m not being negative, that’s just the way it is.’
Arsenal were good within the first-half of the season, having fun with a flawless Champions League group stage campaign with eight straight wins, including a 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich.
‘Yeah but that was when Arsenal were playing free-flowing football, which we all know they’ll do,’ Burley added.
‘They were really pressing teams, they were going out from the get-go, they were 100 miles an hour, they were throttling the life out to groups and players were in form – all those things have gone.’
‘People have talked about Arsenal playing gritty and grinding but that didn’t work against Man City within the cup final. They tried that approach and City were too good.
‘So I just think they’re going to have to search out a special game. It’s one thing grinding it out against Sporting. I don’t think they’re going to give you the chance to grind it out against the likes of Bayern.
‘Because I believe when you give teams like Bayern that quantity of possession, they’ll cut you open. So I do feel they’ll should get their players fit again, Arsenal that’s, and back on form. Otherwise, the semi-finals are going to be an enormous problem.’
Arsenal resume their Premier League title charge against Bournemouth on Saturday boasting a nine-point lead over Manchester City.
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