MIKEL ARTETA blasted the defensive errors that left Arsenal’s title hopes in tatters.
Two blunders from Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino allowed Aston Villa to come back from 2-0 down.
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And Gunners title winner Paul Merson let rip at Partey over his ‘schoolboy error’ that gifted Ollie Watkins Villa’s equaliser.
Merson fumed: “I don’t know what Partey was thinking. Those two Turn to Page 51
“From Back Page goals should have been stopped. Certain players let Arteta down.
“Thomas Partey has played for one of the most disciplined teams in the whole of Europe at Atletico Madrid and you cannot do that.
“That cannot win you league titles.”
Arteta, who saw Merino’s late ‘winner’ ruled out by VAR for a Kai Havertz handball, admitted: “The way we defended can’t be part of our game.
“We have to blame ourselves. You can’t defend like that if we want to be at the highest level in this country.
“What we did for the second goal is nowhere near the standard that is required.”
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Merson added: “Thomas is on his man (Watkins) and then just leaves him to score.
“I don’t know what he’s trying to do. And that’s what Mikel is talking about.
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“You won’t see a worse defensive goal than that all weekend. They were schoolboy errors.
“Merino lets Youri Tielemans run off him for the first goal and I can’t believe what I saw with Partey. I am flabbergasted. I am really worried about their mentality.”
Missing crocked William Saliba, Arteta’s side capitulated as Tielemans and Watkins scored to leave Arsenal six points adrift of Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
It meant Arsenal have now dropped 12 points from winning positions this term, their worst record since 2020-21.
Sky pundit Merson said: “I don’t care what division you are in, those two goals can be stopped if you do your job.”
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The studio then erupted in laughter when Merson said the referee should have given Partey a microphone to explain himself mid-game.
Merson added: “You want to stop the game with the Partey one when Watkins scored and tell the ref to give him a mic and go up to him and ask, ‘right what were you thinking?’.
“I dread to think what Jamie Carragher is going to do to him on Monday Night Football. Jamie would never have done that.
“Jamie must have played 600 or 700 games or even more. He would have never done that in his life. Never ever. He would’ve said ‘right that’s my man and I’m standing with him’.”
Arteta said he is “very worried” about Saliba, who will have a further scan on his hamstring injury today.
He added: “For sure I’m worried. Especially with the numbers we have in the squad and looking at our bench, very worried.”
Watkins felt his side were fortunate with the handball. He said: “Seeing it back, I’m not sure. It’s gone in our favour if I’m honest.
“If that was against me I’d have been a little bit disappointed. But that’s what VAR is there for.”
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Arsenal ratings vs Aston Villa
Arsenal’s title hopes took a huge hit as they threw away a two-goal lead against Aston Villa
Leandro Trossard turned provider for the Gunners to set up both goals as it looked like they would cruise to three points.
But defensive lapses from two stars cost Arteta’s side dearly.
Here is how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the players…
DAVID RAYA – 6/10
Let down by those in front of him for both goals, a duo of close range efforts he had no chance with.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 8
With performances like this, he is suddenly the first name on the team sheet for Arteta. So calm and composed for someone so young, and his strength against bigger opposition is scary at times.
GABRIEL – 7
Made a crucial tackle one-on-one with Watkins and another block from a speedy counter
JURRIEN TIMBER – 7
Alert to foil counters against the pace of Watkins and coped well in general. It is not his fault that he doesn’t have the defensive presence of Saliba.
THOMAS PARTEY – 6
A great stint at right back but one lapse in concentration cost Arsenal the lead, losing track of Watkins in the box before he volleyed in.
MIKEL MERINO – 6
A workman-like performance – won his duels and worked his socks off, but the small details were missing, shanking a good chance well wide in the first half.
He then lost his marker to allow Tielemans to head in and make it 2-1. Could have won it at the end with a scuffed effort in off Havertz that VAR chalked off and smacked the post too.
DECLAN RICE – 7
Integral to everything good about Arsenal and came close with a long-range punt in the second half.
MARTIN ODEGAARD – 6
A solid display but he is really missing his partner in crime in Saka. He created as much as he could but sometimes needs to be more selfish to drag his team over the line.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 8
Deflected effort was comfortable for Martinez but his superb cross made life much harder for the Villa keeper to tee up Martinelli for the opener before blazing over himself.
The Belgian racked up his fifth Prem assist of the season in the second half for Havertz.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 8
Threatened at the far post early on, but got his rewards from the same position in the 35th minute with a stabbed effort ahead of Maatsen.
KAI HAVERTZ – 8
Again, lack of decent service left him living off scraps, but when he got a scrap he fired an effort straight at Martinez from close range.
The German more than made up for it after the break with a clinical finish, even if Martinez should have done better. That will do wonders for his confidence.
SUBS:
RAHEEM STERLING (MARTINELLI, 82) – 6
A few darting runs, but added virtually nothing, other than a needless yellow card. A cameo that screamed “lacking confidence”.
