Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations suffered a setback on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners, who looked to be cruising to victory after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz, conceded two late goals to allow Unai Emery’s side to snatch a point.
This result leaves Arsenal six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford earlier in the day.
Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, acknowledged the significance of the dropped points, highlighting Liverpool’s superior squad depth as a key factor in their continued success.
“Yeah, there are moments, obviously, they managed to do that,” Arteta said when asked if the draw could be pivotal in the title race.
He further emphasized the impact of Liverpool’s ability to rotate players: “They managed to change the game. And on our side, it was the opposite even though after conceding the two goals very close to each other, the danger was because I knew half the team was, that we could go downhill because we were physically drained.”
Arteta’s concerns about squad depth were echoed by the lack of attacking options on the bench.
With only Raheem Sterling as a senior attacking substitute, the manager acknowledged the team’s current limitations.
“When you look at the bench, probably you say I think we are very short,” Arteta admitted.
Meanwhile, Arsenal legend Paul Merson was particularly critical of midfielder Thomas Partey’s role in Villa’s second goal. Merson described Partey’s defending as “atrocious” and “lackadaisical,” highlighting the importance of consistent performance in a title race.
“You’re in a league title race, when you’re in the box defending you say, ‘that’s my man, he doesn’t score’. You take responsibility but he just leave him. You won’t see a worse defensive goal this weekend,” Merson stated.
With the January transfer window open, Arsenal are expected to explore options to bolster their squad.
The club has been linked with several strikers, including Benjamin Sesko, Dusan Vlahovic, and Viktor Gyokeres, as potential replacements for the injured Gabriel Jesus.
However, the club has received warnings about the potential risks associated with signing Victor Osimhen, with concerns raised about his alleged attitude issues.
