Arsenal achieved a crucial 1-0 victory against Chelsea on Sunday, narrowing the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to 12 points.
This weekend proved beneficial for Mikel Arteta’s team, as they triumphed over their London rivals, while Arne Slot’s squad struggled in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final. The Gunners will be optimistic about the possibility of a fatigued Liverpool team dropping additional points in the coming months as they strive to reduce what appears to be an insurmountable lead.
However, Arsenal’s primary focus will realistically be on securing second place in the league and overcoming Real Madrid in their forthcoming Champions League quarter-final. The Gunners have yet to claim victory in Europe’s premier tournament, but they may find encouragement in Real’s lackluster performance that allowed them to advance past Atletico Madrid on penalties in the last 16.
Below are the latest media updates from around the Emirates Stadium, along with insights on each report.
Merson ‘flabbergasted’
Arsenal icon Paul Merson expressed his astonishment at Mikel Arteta’s evaluation of Chelsea after the Gunners secured a 1-0 win against their London counterparts on Sunday.
In his Sky Sports column this week, Merson remarked, “Mikel Arteta claimed that Chelsea is the finest attacking team in the Premier League following Arsenal’s victory. I am unsure what I am overlooking.”
He added, “When Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer are on the field together, they form a strong team and enhance each other’s performance.”
“Palmer’s a better player when Jackson’s playing and Jackson’s a better player when Palmer’s playing. That is fact. But I’m flabbergasted by that quote. I honestly don’t get that. There will be a lot of Chelsea fans reading that thinking, ‘Wow! What is he talking about?’”
Isaac Seelochan of football.london says: “It was a bizarre statement from Arteta and you can understand why Merson was so confused by it. Perhaps it is a way of him trying to boost his team’s confidence at having beaten such a good attacking team. He’s not fooling anyone though.”
Merino praise
Arsenal icon Ian Wright has suggested that Mikel Merino is a strong fit for the ‘number nine’ role he’s been asked to fill in recent weeks.
“What we’ve seen is that he’s a very intelligent player,” he said while working as a pundit on the Premier League’s Matchday Live post-match coverage.
“When you watch him, and he’s linking up the play, by the time [the ball] does get to him – I watched it again when they played PSV – he’s so composed and knows where he’s passing it.
“That’s exactly what Arsenal need in respect of keeping the ball up in that [attacking] third. It’s something we don’t do well because we haven’t got a focal point. Kai Havertz isn’t that player either, where he links the play how Merino can do it. Merino does it in a way where he can hold it and you can go and join him. Then, all of a sudden, we’re playing a bit further up.”
Isaac Seelochan of football.london says: “Merino has looked good at times up-front, but it’s hard to imagine him being good enough to help Arsenal go on and win silverware this season. The Gunners may at their best find a way past an unconvincing Madrid in the Champions League, but they are surely going to need a greater attacking threat to lift the trophy.”
Leave a Reply