Mikel Arteta told the one major mistake he made during Arsenal’s loss to Everton ahead of Brentford clash
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has criticized Mikel Arteta for introducing new signing Jorginho during the 1-0 loss to Everton last weekend.
The Italian central midfielder joined Tottenham from Chelsea during the January transfer window last month, signing an initial 18-month contract with a one-year extension option for the north London club.
The signing was met with mixed reactions from Arsenal fans, with some criticizing him harshly for his debut against Everton last week.
Merson, a Sky Sports analyst, believes that Arteta should not have substituted Jorginho against Sean Dyche’s side at Goodison Park, where he played for just over 30 minutes.
Writing for Sportskeeda, Merson said: “I’ve said it before – you’re going to lose football matches. It’s about how you respond after you lose.
“If Arsenal had defeated Everton last week, they would’ve won the Premier League. They would’ve gone eight points clear at the top with a game in hand.
“Everton had a lot of energy about them, and I felt sorry for Jorginho the other day. I didn’t think it was the right time to bring him on.”
On Saturday afternoon, Arsenal will host Brentford at the Emirates Stadium; the Bees are unbeaten in their previous nine league matches.
A victory would extend the Gunners’ lead over second-place Manchester City to eight points.
Mikel Arteta told the one major mistake he made during Arsenal’s loss to Everton ahead of Brentford clash
