Arsenal are faltering in the Premier League title race with Manchester City now breathing down their necks as many observers expect them to fall short again
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has mocked Mikel Arteta – claiming the Arsenal head coach is “rattled” and has “lost control of the dressing room”. The Gunners have faltered badly in recent months.
Arteta’s side were beaten 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City in March – extending their wait for a first major trophy in six years. Arsenal then crashed out of the FA Cup at Championship side Southampton before losing 2-1 at home to Bournemouth in the league.
The Gunners have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the second successive season – a feat they have never managed before in their history. But Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester City could now see them surrender top-spot in the Premier League if Pep Guardiola’s team win at relegation strugglers Burnley on Wednesday night.
And Obi Mikel has suggested on the latest episode of the Obi One Podcast that Arteta is struggling to cope with his side’s faltering form. The former Nigeria international has referenced Arteta’s quotes and quirky methods as a sign of tension.
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He said: “‘I’m on fire. Bring it on.’ That’s the quote, isn’t it? Every week he’s coming out with a quote.
“One week, they’re playing with a pen in the training ground, they have TikTok music playing. It’s all going off with ‘bring the lunch, bring the dinner.’
“Just calm down, mate, enjoy it, relax. You’ve worked so hard to be in this position, don’t be rattled; he is rattled.
“I’m looking at the man, I’m looking at both sides, both managers, and you can tell. When you look at both managers right now, you can see who’s been there, who’s done it, the experience, the know-how, how to play down situations, how to control situations.
“Both managers are dealing with it very, very differently. On one hand, you have a manager who’s absolutely rattled. Who’s lost his s***, who’s lost the control of his dressing room. He looks tense. He looks, even when he tries to be calm, he’s faking it, it’s not natural.”
Arsenal will look to recover on Saturday at home to Newcastle United (12:30pm BST). City’s involvement in the FA Cup this weekend means that the Gunners could go six points clear if they beat the Magpies and then Fulham a week later, before Guardiola’s team play again in the league.
And Arteta still has full belief that his side can claim Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years.
Speaking after his team lost to City, he said: “The positive thing is we have seen the level, we can cope with that, and not just that but do even better.
“There are five games to go, but we’re going to give a real go for it. We have full belief we can do it. Today we have shown the team that we are. It’s still in our hands, and it’s there for the taking.
“We were close, not close enough. But now we have to reset. We lost an opportunity today, a big one. But there is still another five to go. There are still a lot of positives today.”
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