Mikel Arteta hits back at criticism and speaks out on Viktor Gyokeres form

Mikel Arteta has fired back at criticism over his team selection in Arsenal’s draw with Manchester City and defended Viktor Gyokeres after another underwhelming outing for the striker.

The match finished 1-1 at the Emirates, with Erling Haaland putting the visitors ahead after just nine minutes and looking like he had won the game for his team.

However, substitute Gabriel Martinelli rescued a point for the Gunners as he raced onto a fantastic long ball from Eberechi Eze to impressively lift the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma for a 93rd minute equaliser.

Arsenal had the vast majority of possession, but didn’t create a great deal of chances with it, especially in the first half when the home fans were getting quite frustrated with how blunt Arteta’s team were.

His midfield three of Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, without a more attacking number 10, were arguably the problem and Arteta seemed to accept that by replacing Merino with Eze at half-time.

However, when asked if that was an admission that he got his team selection wrong, the Arsenal boss was not so sure.

‘Too easy to say that,’ he told a post-match press conference. ‘I think it’s very clear what we wanted to do, very well we started the game. I think we completely dominated.

‘I think after they scored the goal without doing absolutely nothing before that, we went a bit shaky for 5-10 minutes and after that we got a grip again and started to dominate and I think the second half was a continuation of that with one different player and then with two or three different players.’

Arteta was pushed on whether he was too conservative with his starting XI, saying: ‘I leave that to you. For me, there’s a lot of attacking players in that team.’

The trio in midfield is partly in place because Martin Odegaard is out injured with a shoulder problem and the same three started in the 2-0 win at Athletic Club in the Champions League last week.

The Gunners boss pointed out that he received no questioning on that team selection even though it was the same.

‘I thought it was the best one to start the game,’ he said of his midfield.

‘Nobody asked me about the midfield three in Bilbao, nobody, it’s the same midfield. I believed it was the best thing for the team.’

Jamie Carragher was one of the critics of Arteta’s approach to the game, saying the manager is too concerned about the opposition and not enough about imposing his own team’s qualities on the game.

‘I think they wasted 45 minutes,’ Carragher said on Sky Sports.

‘Mikel Arteta has got a team and squad that are that close to being really, really special in terms of winning a Premier League and maybe even a Champions League, I think they’re that good. But time after time when it comes to these big games he picks a team that feels like he’s thinking more about the opposition.

Throughout the match Arsenal struggled to get their centre forward involved in the contest, with Gyokeres remaining pretty anonymous throughout.

The summer signing from Sporting has scored three goals in five Premier League outings so it has not been a disastrous start, but has also been very underwhelming against the stronger opposition he has faced.

Gyokeres was not missing chances against Manchester City, he just didn’t have any, and Arteta admitted that his team need to do more to get the ball to their striker.

‘There was a lot of very good balls in the box, especially I remember three of them that he was very, very close to doing,’ he said. ‘Against City to have big open chances is extremely difficult, but he is certainly trying his best and trying to do that. We have to provide more for him.

‘There were a lot of situations that the chances were there, then especially the final pass was missing today in many moments.’

Metro at the Match: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City

Metro at the Match returns to bring you all the analysis from the biggest games of the season.

Here are our team’s key takeaways from Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City.

Anonymous Gyokeres again

‘Viktor Gyokeres struggled to have any sort of impact for Arsenal again, which is becoming a worrying pattern when they face a good side.

‘It remains early in the Swede’s Arsenal career but he has been concerningly anonymous in the majority of games he has played so far.

‘Goals have come at home against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, but he has been completely forgettable against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Athletic Club and now Manchester City.

‘Gyokeres may well end the season with decent numbers if he continues to be a flat track bully, but will he win Arsenal the Premier League? Probably not.’ Phil Haigh – sports reporter.

Arteta gets midfield selection all wrong

‘Given the criticism Mikel Arteta faced for his midfield selection in the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool this season, it was a shock to see him go with the same trio at home to Manchester City.

‘Arsenal were far too negative in that match at Anfield and it was the same problem in the first-half against City as Arteta named Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino in his XI.

‘The Gunners were lacking in the creative department, especially with Martin Odegaard out injured and Bukayo Saka deemed not fit enough to start.

‘Eberechi Eze was dropped to the bench – a decision which baffled the pundits – and Arteta was surely aware of his error as he decided to bring on Eze and Saka for Merino and Noni Madueke at the break.

‘That’s twice this season Arteta has got his selection wrong in big games and he must learn from this mistake.’ Liam Grace – sports reporter.

Haaland wins this round with arch rival Gabriel

‘This was the latest battle in the ongoing war between Erling Haaland and Gabriel Magalhães and it was a clear win for the giant Norwegian.

‘Haaland left Gabriel in his wake as he sprinted beyond the Arsenal defence to score the opener, calmly finishing to put his team ahead.

‘The Brazilian was made to look slow, which he isn’t, but the Manchester City superstar looks like a powerful race horse when he gets going and he wasn’t going to be caught.

‘The rivalry was sparked when Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel’s head after a Manchester City equaliser in September last year, with the Arsenal man gaining revenge by screaming in the Norwegian’s face during the Gunners’ rampant 5-1 win in February.

‘No doubt Haaland has regained the upper hand.’ Phil Haigh – sports reporter.