Troy Deeney has criticised Arsenal supporters for calling on Mikel Arteta to drop Martin Zubimendi after their 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Gunners produced an insipid display against the Cherries with Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott scoring either side of a Viktor Gyokeres penalty to give Andoni Iraola’s side all three points.
Arsenal have now handed Manchester City, who play Chelsea on Sunday, a Premier League title race lifeline with the Citizens now having two games in hand and the opportunity to play the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.
The Gunners are still nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table as things stand but some are calling for Arteta’s sack after three defeats in their last four matches in all competitions.
Responding to fans asking for Arteta to be sacked, former Watford striker Deeney said on CBS Sports: “They’re not going to sack him because he has moved that club astronomically forward from where it was, they’re always in contention now and being spoken about as one of the best teams in world football, and rightly so.
“But this is why Arsenal fans… this is why I love you, and why you love me, because when it’s right and when they’re winning they’re hammering me, now… ‘sack him’?! He’s top of the league, they’re in the Champions League, now it’s, ‘sack him, get rid of him’. Who are you going to bring in?
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“I just want to ask you this question Arsenal fans, remember before (they said) they didn’t have any strikers? Gyokeres, Havertz and Jesus all played today, I said he (Gyokeres) would score in these games, it’s the big games that matter, has he scored against Liverpool yet, has he scored against Man City yet?”
CBS Sports host, Adam Hunt, read out some criticism of Zubimendi from an Arsenal fan with calls from some to drop the Spaniard.
Hunt said: “Arsenal have a bad No.6 in Zubimendi and they don’t have a main man leading their attack.”
Responding to the criticism, Deeney replied: “Oh my god, a bad No.6 in Zubimendi?
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“Literally a week ago, Nigel Reo Coker, who played the position to an unbelievable level, talking about he (Zubimendi) is one of the best players in Europe.
“Also Arsenal fans, three weeks ago, talking about he is the signing of the season, most underrated signing. What are we doing here?”
Another Arsenal fan had a go at Arteta for leaving Christian Norgaard on the bench, to which Deeney asked: “There’s an Arsenal fan out there that thinks the reason they’re not winning is because Norgaard is not playing?.
“They’re calling for Norgaard… they’re calling for a holding midfielder.”
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