{"id":324851,"date":"2026-04-26T14:52:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T09:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=324851"},"modified":"2026-04-26T14:52:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T09:22:35","slug":"gary-neville-names-arsenal-star-who-has-struggled-for-weeks-after-newcastle-win-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/26\/gary-neville-names-arsenal-star-who-has-struggled-for-weeks-after-newcastle-win-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Gary Neville names Arsenal star who has ‘struggled\u00a0for weeks’ after Newcastle win | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former Man Utd and England defender Gary Neville (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gary Neville criticised two Mikel Arteta signings after Arsenal\u2019s hard-fought Premier League win over Newcastle United.<\/p>\n

The Gunners regained their place at the highest of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle on the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Arsenal have endured a difficult run, losing back-to-back league games to present Manchester City major hope within the title race, but clinched a very important three points against Newcastle courtesy of Eberechi Eze\u2019s early goal.<\/p>\n

The win sends Arsenal three points clear of Man City, who’ve a game in hand after pausing their Premier League title charge to beat Southampton within the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.<\/p>\n

Neville described Arsenal\u2019s win over Newcastle as \u2018exhausting\u2019 and believes they are going to stumble to the Premier League title in the event that they do indeed pip Man City.<\/p>\n

The previous Manchester United and England defender said Arsenal\u2019s midfield was \u2018outplayed\u2019 by their Newcastle counterparts and highlighted Martin Zubimendi as an underperforming player in Arteta\u2019s squad.<\/p>\n

Zubimendi enjoyed a brilliant begin to his Arsenal profession following last summer\u2019s \u00a360m move from Real Sociedad but has \u2018struggled\u2019 throughout the run-in, based on Neville.<\/p>\n

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Martin Zubimendi during Arsenal\u2019s win over Newcastle (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Neville all the time had high hopes for fellow summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who was dropped for the Newcastle win following some poor displays.<\/p>\n

\u2018I believed at first of the season that Zubimendi was a fantastic signing,\u2019 Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s been a very good player for\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0but without delay I used to be expecting that this might be where Zubimendi can be the player. Who\u2019s going to be the difference player?<\/p>\n

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Eberechi Eze scored the winner against Newcastle (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I believed [Viktor] Gyokeres would get the goals for them in the large moments and get to 2-0. His lack of quality at the top was poor on that counter-attack. He\u2019s got to do higher than that.<\/p>\n

\u2018But I believed\u2026 you think that of what [Andrea] Pirlo is, or [Paul] Scholes or Rodri, Bernardo Silva \u2013 the player who can dictate play in a game like this, get Arsenal on the ball, organise and get them with authority and he [Zubimendi] will not be demonstrating that.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s struggling within the games and he has been for a couple of weeks now. [Martin] Odegaard does it higher.<\/p>\n

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Viktor Gyokeres was dropped by Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Odegaard went deeper, but the issue is when Odegaard goes deeper, [Declan] Rice then goes deeper and Zubimendi is already deep. Then you definitely\u2019ve got three players, or actually two in deep areas.<\/p>\n

\u2018You’ll be able to\u2019t have that. You would like them to be rotating with one another, and you wish one back there to link play with the defence and the full-backs.<\/p>\n

\u2018It felt to me today that Zubimendi, Rice and Odegaard got outplayed by that\u00a0Newcastle\u00a0midfield.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arsenal suffered a painful defeat to Premier League title rivals Manchester City last weekend but responded well to beat Newcastle.<\/p>\n

Gunners star Declan Rice said: \u2018I feel we said after last week that we’ve got to win five games if you need to win the Premier League.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s one down and now 4 to go. It was about winning irrespective of how we win. It’s exciting times. There\u2019s lots to play for.<\/p>\n

\u2018At all times against\u00a0Newcastle, it’s going to be a very tough game, they’ve unbelievable players who can hurt you at any time.<\/p>\n

\u2018We could have done higher in front of goal within the second half, it opened up for us and it was just lacking that final pass.<\/p>\n

\u2018But in the long run, three points, a special goal from Ebs [Eberechi Eze] and that makes the weekend higher so it’s all good.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arsenal face Atletico Madrid within the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night before returning to Premier League motion next Saturday against Fulham.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/use><\/svg>MORE: Steven Gerrard urges Liverpool to re-sign \u00a365.5m player: \u2018I\u2019m missing him\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/use><\/svg>MORE: Manchester United told to sign \u00a343m Tottenham star to succeed in \u2018the following level\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/use><\/svg>MORE: Paul Merson urges Mikel Arteta to recall Arsenal star for Atletico Madrid clash<\/span><\/p>\n

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