Neville names four Arsenal players responsible for Premier League title collapse

PREMIER LEAGUE Neville names four Arsenal players responsible for Premier League title collapse

Kiplagat Sang • 15:15 - 29.04.2023

The Gunners have dropped crucial points in recent games, putting their title ambitions in jeopardy.

Gary Neville has called out a number of Arsenal players, whom he says have contributed to their latest collapse.

The Gunners’ ambition of winning the Premier League title hangs by a thread after dropping points in their last four games.

A loss at the Etihad saw the points reduced to just two between Arsenal and Manchester City, with the latter having two games in hand.

Neville feels the experienced players, who are also seen as leaders at Arsenal, contributed to the recent poor run.

"I look at Martin Odegaard, fantastic professional," Neville told The Overlap. "Oleksandr Zinchenko, a great professional. But when you actually get to the most pressurized moments in the biggest matches in the crux of the season, are they leaders then?

"Arsenal’s senior players, [Thomas] Partey, Zinchenko, and Odegaard, in the most difficult period – when those younger players like [Bukayo] Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli needed that guidance, Jesus needed telling to stop running around and just stand up front and be really disciplined in how you play – they didn’t impact the rest of their team-mates on the pitch, I don’t believe.

"In fact, they contributed to the difficulties they were having in the matches."

The retired footballer pointed out specific moments in which the senior players let the club down.

"Xhaka at Anfield [when he squared up to Trent Alexander-Arnold], Partey’s performances in the last few games, I think Zinchenko gave a goal away in one game as well – the Liverpool game and maybe West Ham as well – and Odegaard had probably his most difficult game as well against Manchester City," he added.

"And then, if you think of the huddle that Zinchenko did [against Southampton], and then Odegaard came over and said, ‘Break up’.

The former Manchester United star says the players failed in their core mandate of guiding the younger ones during those crucial games.

"So those four players that are the leaders in that team have not been able – at the moment those younger players needed it – to really pull them together and keep them calm and composed," he concluded.

"That, to me, has been apparent these last few weeks."

Arsenal will be keen to get back to winning ways when they face London rivals Chelsea on Tuesday, May 2.