Arsenal dropped yet more points against Manchester United, which makes you wonder whether the Premier League title race is all but over.
The Gunners found themselves 16 points behind the Merseyside club prior to kick-off at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon, though the United game is one of two extra matches they have to play over their title rivals.
Mikel Arteta’s men have been guilty of dropping points at crucial stages of this season, largely down to a lack of clinical edge in the final third.
Injuries haven’t helped their cause. Attacking players Bukayo Saka, Kai Haverts, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli all find themselves currently occupying a space in the Arsenal medical room.
Gary Neville says Arsenal last season could be better than Arne Slot’s Liverpool side
Losing so many key players to injury is admittedly difficult to predict, though Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has little sympathy for Arsenal.
Speaking ahead of their match with United, Neville slammed the club’s failure to bring in attacking reinforcements during last summer’s transfer window.
He also said the lack of activity has left them in a position where they were unable to compete with leaders Liverpool this season.
“Liverpool have been strong but Arsenal should have been closer to them. Arsenal of last season are as good, if not better, than Liverpool this season. Arsenal should be neck and neck with Liverpool.
“You’ve got to plan for [the amount of injuries]. Arsenal haven’t signed a striker for three years and now it’s ‘woah me’ about the fact they haven’t got a striker.”
Gary Neville says ‘poor recruitment’ is to blame for Arsenal drop-off
Arsenal were linked with a move for RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko in the summer but a deal failed to materialise. They also lodged a reported late bid for Ollie Watkins at the end of the January window but were again unable to secure a signature.
Neville insists the failure to provide backup options to the aforementioned Havertz and Jesus is why they’ve failed to replicate their form from the two previous seasons.
“The idea that they haven’t got backup for Havertz and Jesus is, for me, not right. They signed loads of players to cover for the fact that [an injury to] Saliba was the problem two years ago when they fell away in the last part of the season.
“They then had a problem with midfield last year, so they’ve signed players in that area. So for me, they’ve left themselves short and it’s through poor recruitment.”
The injuries have forced Arteta to start central midfielder Mikel Merino in the centre-forward role in recent weeks. The Spaniard leads the line against United, alongside Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri on each flank.
The post “It’s not right…” Gary Neville makes bold Arsenal title race claim, slams club’s recruitment policy appeared first on HITC.
