Former striker and pundit Gary Lineker has hit out at a section of Arsenal fans for how they reacted in recent weeks to a dip in their Premier League title form.
The Gunners are fresh from a draw with Everton, where the side were unable to unpick the lock of the away side, who set up to be stubborn and take a point.
It marked back-to-back draws in the Premier League for Mikel Arteta, who now has his side seemingly far off the pace for the title.
With the form of Liverpool and Chelsea, on top of the difficulties Arsenal have faced, the Emirates Stadium was far from impressed with a faltering title push.
It led to some sections of the fanbase reacting in a way that didn’t impress Gary Lineker in his review of the situation.
Gary Lineker calls out Arsenal fans for Everton reaction
Following the draw with Everton, some parts of the Arsenal fanbase hit out at their players in frustration on social media.
Given the work done to restore the club to where it is, and the near-misses in recent title fights, it’s a moment that confused Lineker.
The former Tottenham striker called out sections of the fanbase, stating on The Rest Is Football podcast: “Do you ever see that Arsenal TV thing? Sometimes I get clips come up on your Instagram or whatever and goodness me some of the fans were laying into their players and you think ‘crikey’.
“Like viciously, I mean it was horrible, I don’t know how they think that’s going to help if you’re slaughtering your own players to that degree when obviously they give everything week in, week out.
“And it’s not easy playing against a team that sit for the entirety of the game with ten men deep and didn’t have any ambition to attack in that game just to eke out a point.
“I don’t blame them [Everton] for going to Arsenal and they did a really good job of it defensively.”
It comes at a moment when Arsenal fans are still adjusting to the expectations they have over the past few seasons and the current campaign.
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How Mikel Arteta reacted to frustrated Arsenal fans
Arteta was seen gesturing at the Arsenal fans during the clash with Everton, urging them to get behind their players.
There were audible groans and a general sense of frustration that eeped through from the stands of the Emirates Stadium and onto the pitch.
The frustration was something the Arsenal manager addressed post-match, telling the press: “We have to manage the frustration and the time. If we start to speed up the game but there is no room to speed it up, we start to rush the game.
“We need to understand that, if we start to force and make mistakes… we have to stay very far away from that game.”
When asked if the fans need to understand, he responded: “No, no. I cannot ask the fans to understand, I am telling you my feelings.”
What is expected of the rest of the season remains to be seen, but there is a huge mountain to climb if it ends with a Premier League title.
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