🏟️🔥“I don’t like to criticize Arsenal at all but I’ll criticize him for the silly action he did in the 68th minute of the game against Newcastle yesterday”- Arsenal legend Ian Wright calls ONE Arsenal star on phonecall to nail him on the cross after disgraceful performance against Newcastle on Saturday afternoon

Arsenal legend Ian Wright criticized Mikel Merino after the team’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle, saying he “wasn’t tight enough in and around the midfield.”

Newcastle’s Alexander Isak scored a powerful header in the 14th minute, and Arsenal struggled to respond during a disappointing away match. Fortunately for the Gunners, title rivals Manchester City also lost later that day against Bournemouth, ending their 33-match unbeaten streak.

With Martin Ødegaard out injured, Arsenal has struggled with creativity in midfield, and Mikel Arteta will be keen to have his captain back for the upcoming London derby against Chelsea.

Merino, who joined from Real Sociedad for £32 million, had difficulty impacting the game offensively and was substituted for academy player Ethan Nwaneri with 30 minutes remaining at St James’ Park.

While discussing the match on Premier League Productions, Wright noted that Merino appears to be “still getting up to speed” with the demands of English football.

“Ødegaard has been out for some time. We’ve mentioned our other options… Fabio Vieira hasn’t played much either,” Wright said. “Emile Smith Rowe has moved to Fulham and is doing well there.

“Ethan Nwaneri came on today, which is a lot of pressure for a young player in a title-contending team. At this point in the season, ten games in, we shouldn’t be this lackluster—not creating enough chances or putting on enough pressure.

“Merino wasn’t tight enough in midfield again. I think he’s still adjusting.”

Wright stressed that Arsenal fans can’t keep blaming Ødegaard’s absence for the team’s recent issues. “It’s frustrating to be ten games in and feel this way, especially given how tough it is to catch up to Manchester City,” he remarked. “One shot on target against Bournemouth and one today—it’s simply not good enough for a title-challenging team. There’s a lot of work needed in the dressing room. We can’t keep saying we’re missing Ødegaard; we know it matters.”

In his post-match press conference, Arteta echoed Wright’s views about Ødegaard, stating: “We could talk about this all day. We haven’t had him for the last six weeks, and we still don’t.

“But we have other options that can be effective. Today, we need to reflect on ourselves, congratulate Newcastle, and move on.”