Piers Morgan believes Arsenal are ‘going backwards’ under Mikel Arteta and has urged the Gunners boss to ‘stop being so damn stubborn’ and sign a ‘world-class’ striker.
Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004 are hanging by a thread after a potentially defining weekend in the title race.
The Gunners had the chance to close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just five points on Saturday but were beaten 1-0 at home by West Ham.
Arteta said he was ‘very, very angry’ after the shock defeat and his mood would have got even worse on Sunday after watching Liverpool secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Manchester City.
The weekend results leave Liverpool a whopping 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League, with a number of pundits declaring the title race now all-but over.
Arsenal have finished as runners-up in the Premier League for the past two seasons and look set for the same outcome this term, albeit trailing Liverpool this time around rather than four-time winners Man City.
But the Gunners have not been as impressive as they have been in recent seasons and Morgan believes his beloved team are ‘going backwards’ under Arteta, who was appointed at the end of 2021.
Morgan has slammed Arsenal for failing to sign a ‘world-class striker’ in the mould of former stars Thierry Henry, Ian Wright and Robin van Persie.
‘Dear Mikel Arteta… we’re now going backwards under your tenure because of your bizarre refusal to sign a world class striker,’ he posted on X
‘To help focus your mind, we need one with the calibre of these guys below. So, for God’s sake stop being so damn stubborn and get us one.’
Speaking after Liverpool’s professional victory at the Etihad Stadium, ex-Premier League striker Troy Deeney suggested the title race has been done and dusted since Christmas.
‘I don’t see how Arsenal are going to close the gap without a striker, Manchester City are in disarray and Nottingham Forest are falling away,’ he said on BBC’s Match of the Day 2.
‘It seems like all the stars have aligned and it is there for Liverpool. Arne Slot knows what it is like to see these things through, so I just think there is no way they are going to lose this.
‘They have lost one game all season – how are they going to lose four games now and allow Arsenal to get over the line? I just can’t see it.’
Liverpool boss Arne Slot understandably wants his team to keep level despite their healthy lead at the top of the Premier League.
‘Three days ago we had a draw at Villa and people told me we weren’t in a good place and then three days later we win and it changes again,’ he said.
‘We work every single day to achieve this and it is three months of very hard work to maintain this.
‘There is no secret. We are 11 points clear but Arsenal has one game in hand. The best attack we had didn’t end in a goal.
‘You always have to adapt to the challenge you have. A week ago we experienced how difficult Wolves at home was. There will always be difficult games, like today.
‘It is easier for us to not get excited because we know what we have to put in. This result was more about defence than attack.
‘It is normal for fanbases to be positive and it is important to understand why we are where we are.’
