Theo Walcott has suggested that Mikel Arteta should not have taken off Eberechi Eze, who was starting to make his impact on the game versus Man City.
The Arsenal winger had a few good chances to score at the Etihad Stadium; however, fortune just didn’t seem to be on his side on Sunday.
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Eze saw one of his efforts hit the inside of the post and bounce out, as he really started to influence the game in the second 45 minutes.
Walcott has now suggested that the substitutions ended up costing the Gunners the match, but especially Eze’s withdrawal.
Theo Walcott slams Eberechi Eze’s withdrawal during Man City vs Arsenal
Theo Walcott thinks that Eberechi Eze’s withdrawal during Man City versus Arsenal was a big turning point in the match.
The former Arsenal star was annoyed to see the 27-year-old subbed off, even more so considering Martin Odegaard seemed to be running out of steam.
Overall, Walcott was pleased with Arsenal’s performance in Manchester, with Eze and Odegaard both producing positive displays.
Speaking about Arsenal’s performance, Walcott told NBC Sports: “To be fair, for me, the performance was a lot more than we want to see from Arsenal, which has been disappointing in previous weeks. So I feel like it’s positive to take.
“But for me, really big moments when looking at substitutions, and Eze started getting involved with the game, particularly inside.
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“Odegaard had run out of steam because he worked tremendously hard, potentially pressing and everything.
“We talk about moments, and it just wasn’t going to be their day. Hitting the post, you felt that Man City wouldn’t give you a chance.
Just like Declan Rice said, the Premier League title race is not over, and Walcott is backing the Gunners to keep fighting after a spirited display.
“Look, Arsenal, if they continue playing like this will go all the way, trust me, but it’s gonna hurt them,” added Walcott.
City have the chance to leapfrog the Gunners during midweek when they travel away to Burnley, but they still have some tough games remaining.
Facing Brentford will not be straightforward, and neither will their away game at Bournemouth, which could leave the door open for Mikel Arteta’s team.
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