Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said after their 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday Night Football that Arsenal “need a wheelbarrow” to get over the line in the Premier League title race.
Ebelesi Eze’s superb early goal secured victory and the Gunners returned to the top of the table with a three-point lead over Manchester City.
The pressure is on for the north Londoners to respond after losing to Josep Guardiola’s side last weekend, with Man City beating Burnley to take top spot on Wednesday.
Neville believes the next four league games will not be comfortable as Arsenal’s lack of experience is causing anxiety as they aim to win their first league title in 22 years.
He said on the Gary Neville Podcast:
“It’s a group of players we’ve never seen before and that shows. If they cross the line, they’re going to have to wheelbarrow it over. They’re not going to cross the line. It’s going to be a really tough battle. They’re not suddenly going to be good in the last few weeks.”
He also criticized Arsenal’s overall performance despite their win against Newcastle, adding: “A lot of what they did in this game wasn’t great from a tactical point of view.”
“They’re very good defensively, they work really hard. They sprint like crazy to get back on track, they defend really well, they’re compact.
“They’re very well organized and you have to give them a lot of respect for that… That’s something to be really proud of and that could win them the title.
“But what you want is expression, that freedom when they play forward, run forward and do things a little more assuredly with their offensive play, and we just didn’t get that at all today.
“The goal came from a set piece, but I can’t think of any other chance they created in open play, because sometimes they would put the ball in the final third and recycle it very safely.
“That’s been my criticism of them all these years. What do you think?
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Free to watch: Premier League highlights of Arsenal vs. Newcastle United
“We understand that when you’re leading 2-0 or 3-0 you recycle the ball on the edge of the box, you try to draw them out, frustrate them, make them work, move them from side to side and they’re not doing that and when they’re moving from side to side they’re not quick.
“Every time someone takes a touch and takes another touch, you see them walking around with the ball almost from side to side, but the Newcastle players don’t really have to move at all. They just stand in front of you.”
“Sometimes I don’t understand the idea and they’re not forward-thinking enough.”
Neville praises Arsenal’s tenacity in short corners
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Ebelesi Eze scored a goal within the first 10 minutes to give Arsenal an early lead against Newcastle.
Eze’s goal was scored from a short corner. Within minutes the Gunners had scored their third goal of the game, but after the first two goals there was a roar from the stands.
But it was clear that they had a plan and it paid off with a great goal from the winger’s goal, which ended up being the winner.
Neville praised Arsenal for sticking with their routine, but warned they needed to add more goals to have the best chance of winning the league.
“They also deserve a lot of credit for their set-piece today, because I think 99 out of 100 teams would have a set-piece in the box for the third when the fans are groaning for the second and they did it again.”
“They were looking for one area and then they came in and what they were trying to do was figure out how they got the ball into[Kai]Havertz and the space that Eze was key on the edge of the box. An extraordinary finish.”
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Paul Merson and Jamie Redknapp praise Arsenal winner Eberechi Eze
“Eze looked a little bit confident, a little bit arrogant and that worked really well.
“Set-pieces are a big part of the Arsenal team and they have given them a trump card again.
“Arsenal can keep a clean sheet, but City are in much better shape now offensively. Arsenal need to keep a clean sheet, they need to win every game and they have a chance of winning the title.”
“The defensive work is really good, but we also need to score.”
“Arteta doesn’t prioritize either the Champions League or the Premier League. He needs to aim for both.”
In the midst of the Premier League title race, Arsenal have also reached the Champions League semi-finals. They play the first leg away against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Regarding the dueling tournament, Neville said, “I don’t have any priorities because I’m participating in two major tournaments. I have to go to both.”
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Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports after his team defeated Newcastle to return to top of the Premier League.
“The only way this is going to work for Arsenal is if we keep the momentum going and keep winning, we have to somehow take the reins off while keeping our defense balanced and our set-pieces organized.
“They have to be more free in their attacking play. If you consider the glass half full, they can be Champions League winners and Premier League winners.”
“I think at the moment they’re thinking, ‘We have to win the league.’ They’re not thinking, ‘We have to win the Champions League.’
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Gary Neville insists Arsenal’s Martin Zvimendi is struggling to win the title and suggested Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice need to step up and get on the ball more if the Gunners are to become a more positive side.
“Many of these players don’t know how to win the Champions League, but they are very close in the race for the title and will be desperate not to lose to it.
“I think Mikel Arteta needs to give his all to every game and not prioritize any one game above the other, but he knows that at the moment the Premier League is easier to win than the Champions League.
“I think there are better teams than them in the Champions League and that’s in the cup. There are still three games left, but only four in the league, so you could say it’s easy to win both, but I don’t think they will beat Atletico Madrid or any other team in the semi-finals, but I see them as having a chance to qualify for the league.”
