Shocking stat further highlights Mikel Arteta’s major Arsenal error last season

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Arsenal led the Premier League table for most of last season, but saw their title challenge slip away towards the end of the campaign, with Manchester City going on to win it.

Many have pinpointed the day when Arsenal lost the title to their Europa League elimination at home to Sporting Club De Portugal, in which both Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba picked up season-ending injuries.

Saliba’s injury in particular was damaging, and his replacement, Rob Holding, was clearly not up to the task.

Holding could not replace Saliba

Arsenal’s results started to slip after they threw away two-goal leads at Liverpool and West Ham to drop points in the run-in, and many have pointed to Holding’s inability to replace Saliba as a huge factor.

Mikel Arteta’s side could not maintain the high line they had used with Saliba when Holding was playing instead, and invited pressure which eventually led to goals.

Arteta later saw the error in his ways, eventually starting Jakub Kiwior ahead of Holding, and even moving Thomas Partey to right-back to allow Ben White to move to the centre.

Arteta made key Holding error

Holding left Arsenal in the summer transfer window, having contributed heavily to the collapse of the title challenge, and it was clear that having him as Saliba’s understudy was a fatal mistake.

The 28-year-old joined Crystal Palace for a small fee on deadline day this summer, and this move has further highlighted what a grave mistake Arteta made.

Holding is yet to play a single minute of Premier League football for Crystal Palace.

Roy Hodgson brought him in this summer, but he has made just one appearance in nearly two months, as the Eagles lost to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.

Whilst Holding was a good professional at the club, it is clear that he is not even at the required level to appear off the bench for the side currently 13th in the Premier League. To use him in the title race ahead of Kiwior, or another internal solution, was an error which arguably cost Arsenal a first Premier League triumph since 2004.