KEY POINTS
- Arsenal are eight points clear at the top of the league table
- They were held to a 0-0 draw by Newcastle United on Tuesday
- Arsenal’s next league fixture is against Spurs
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta does not trust midfielder Fabio Vieira.
Neville’s comments came after Vieira remained an unused substitute as Premier League leaders Arsenal were held to a goalless draw by Newcastle United on Tuesday. While Arsenal dominated at the Emirates Stadium with a superb 67% possession and 17 attempts on goal, Arteta’s side failed to break down the Magpies’ firm defense.
Arsenal spent $41 million to sign Vieira from Porto in the summer of 2022. The 21-year-old midfielder has played only nine Premier League games this season for the Gunners, starting in just one.
Arteta made just one substation against Newcastle, bringing in right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu for Ben White.
Neville claimed the Spanish boss does not have faith that the young midfielder will improve the team.
“Arteta, he looks at $41 million Vieira on his bench and doesn’t bring him on, so he doesn’t have faith that he’s going to improve the team that was out there. Fabio Vieira cost $41 million. Mikel obviously thought he would’ve weakened the side by bringing him on,” Neville said in an interview.
Meanwhile, Arsenal head coach Arteta slammed the referees after the match in London, saying his side should have been awarded two penalties.
He felt the hosts should have received a penalty in the 60th minute when Newcastle defender Dan Burn appeared to pull Gabriel Jesus’ shirt, and again during the stoppage time when Granit Xhaka’s cross hit Newcastle midfielder Jacob Murphy’s arm. Both appeals were waved away without a VAR check.
“They are two penalties, it’s very simple. I’m talking about what I’ve seen, now, and it’s two scandalous penalties,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
Arsenal, who had a chance to go 10 points clear at the top, are currently eight points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.
“I’m extremely proud of my players. The way we played, the way we dominated the game, the way we tried, the way we continued. We miss in the final third, we had so many situations and then we had two scandalous penalties,” added Arteta.
Arsenal’s next game is against Oxford United in the FA Cup on Monday. After this, the Gunners will take on Tottenham Hotspur on Jan. 15 in the Premier League.
