A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Paul Merson warns Aston Villa about Declan Rice ahead of Saturday’s game and Jamie Carragher tears into their ‘disappointment’.
Paul Merson tips Arsenal ace Declan Rice to give Aston Villa ‘trouble’
Gunners icon Merson has tipped Rice to give Aston Villa ‘trouble’ when Arsenal head to Villa Park on Saturday. The north London team travel to Birmingham for the evening kick-off with the top spot in the Premier League at risk. Liverpool can steal it during the lunchtime match.
Arsenal enter the weekend atop the table with 36 points from 15 games for a two-point gap to second-place Liverpool. Rice kept Mikel Arteta’s men atop the standings on Tuesday night with a 97th-minute winner at Luton Town. He headed in Martin Odegaard’s cross to win 4-3.
But Merson believes Rice can be Arsenal’s difference-maker at Aston Villa through his ability to conduct their game plan. The Magic Man references how Manchester City lost 1-0 at Villa Park on Wednesday night as their conductor, Rodri, was absent as he served his suspension.
“Rodri was a huge miss for Manchester City at Villa Park,” Merson told Sky Sports. “When he’s missing, it’s like having the best car but not putting the right fuel in. If he’s not there, you take a lot away from City. For me, that highlights the importance of Rice in this game.
“They paid top dollar for him and he has taken them to a new level. Rice gets on the ball and starts everything off for Arsenal and if they can break the lines, which City failed to do, then Villa are in trouble.
“He’ll play the simple pass and can easily break the lines. If he can regularly do that, getting the ball to Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka waiting on the wings, then it will be a major problem for Villa.”
Read more about what Merson has had to say about Rice, Arsenal and Aston Villa, here.
Emile Smith Rowe would not be at Arsenal if Ilkay Gundogan signed
Arsenal would have already sold Emile Smith Rowe if Ilkay Gundogan had agreed to join the Emirates Stadium natives this summer. That is according to Football Transfers, which reports that Arteta is ready to sell the Hale End hero during January amidst interest from Aston Villa.
Arteta is prepared to green-light the Arsenal academy product’s exit if the Gunners receive a suitable offer. The Spaniard would have even given the go-ahead for sporting director Edu to sell the 23-year-old this summer had Gundogan agreed to join after leaving Manchester City.
Gundogan was among Arteta’s top targets before the 33-year-old agreed to join Barcelona in a free transfer. He captained the Citizens to their European treble last term and previously worked with Arteta at Etihad Stadium. The German has since been a key player in Catalunya.
Read more about Arsenal’s stance on Smith Rowe’s future at Emirates Stadium, here.
Jamie Carragher brands David Raya as the ‘biggest disappointment’
Liverpool hero Carragher thinks Arsenal and Manchester United goalkeepers David Raya and Andre Onana are the ‘biggest disappointments’ across the Premier League this term. He also goes as far as saying both sides have taken a step backward since their arrivals this summer.
Carragher has been speaking on The Overlap and has torn into Raya and Onana for failing to show themselves as upgrades on Aaron Ramsdale or David de Gea. Arsenal signed their new No1 on loan from Brentford with a £27m option to buy. Onana left Inter Milan for up to £47m.
“The biggest disappointments in the Premier League so far this season would be the two goalkeepers at Manchester United and Arsenal – Andre Onana and David Raya,” he said.
“They’ve been quite poor after coming in as ‘improvements’ from the previous keepers. And it’s almost stayed the same or even gone backwards with them coming in.”
Read more about what Carragher has had to say about Raya and Arsenal, here.
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