Arsenal’s have no ‘superstar’ players, according to Wayne Rooney – and that could derail their title challenge.
Rooney also swung at Arsenal’s fans and former players such as Martin Keown, claiming they are ‘killing’ the team with their nerves and commentary.
Arsenal sit four points ahead of second-placed Manchester City with 12 games to go and travel to Pep Guardiola’s side in April.
Rooney told The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet: ‘I agree with the fact that Arsenal don’t have an out and out superstar, a world-class player that you can pin everything on.
‘However, what we’ve seen over the last few years is, they know how to win games. They’ve shown you don’t need that superstar player.
‘What I think is happening is, the Arsenal fans, ex-players coming out, they are killing them. They should stay silent and let everyone else talk. I heard Martin Keown saying having a six-point lead is better than nine, I was thinking, ‘What are you talking about?’.
Wayne Rooney says Arsenal lack ‘world-class’ quality and that their fans and former players are ‘killing’ the team
Jamie Carragher also believes their lack of ‘superstar’ quality could deny them the title
‘That’s an experienced player getting nervous. Mikel Arteta is handling it brilliantly – the way he’s speaking, how he’s coming out in the media, how he’s trying to calm the players down. It’s other people who are connected to the club who are having more of an effect.
‘Quality-wise, Arsenal have got a lot of quality. Have they got that superstar – that Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Sergio Aguero type player that’s going to make a difference? I don’t think they have, but they know how to win games, and they’ve shown that over the last three years.’
His words may sting the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhaes, and William Saliba, who many would argue are ‘world-class’, but it is an assessment that Jamie Carragher agrees with.
Carragher had said shortly before: ‘Arsenal have got a great mentality, but when I watch Arsenal, I don’t think they’ve got an absolute superstar in the front four or five players.
‘I thought Bukayo Saka or Martin Odegaard would get there a couple of years ago and almost become the best player in the league. Wayne Rooney was that for Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo was that for United, Mo Salah was that for Liverpool – I don’t think Arsenal have got one of them and what could stop them [from winning the league] is actual quality.’
Arsenal’s reputation as ‘bottlers’ partly stems from their historic struggles to win titles despite having led the league at Christmas.
They have been top of the Premier League on December 25 five times, including this season, but have never won it in the same campaign.
Two of those collapses came in the previous three seasons under Mikel Arteta.
Mikel Arteta is hoping to lead Arsenal to a first league title since 2004; they have been runners-up for three seasons in a row
In January, Daily Mail Sport’s Oliver Holt made a compelling case for why the Gunners will not ‘bottle’ the title.
The accusations came after their 3-2 defeat by a resurgent Manchester United – a loss which doesn’t look that bad now considering the run Michael Carrick ahs them on.
Holt wrote in his Daily Mail+ column: ‘I don’t buy any of it. I don’t even buy the lazy triumphalism of the idea that Arsenal ‘bottled’ the title in 2022-23. They didn’t bottle it. They over-achieved that year. Manchester City were just a better team, that’s all. Arsenal were beaten by one of the best English sides of modern times. There should be no shame in that.
‘City are not that team any more. That’s another reason why Arsenal will win the title. This City is still a new team, not a team capable of putting together a relentless run of victories.’
While City have closed the gap in recent weeks, they have not been without their struggles.
They dominated the first half against Tottenham at the start of the month, going in 2-0 up at half-time, but ended up drawing that 2-2.
Moreover, they were far from convincing in their 2-0 win over League Two Salford City at the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup Fourth Round on Saturday.
Arsenal could be 10 points ahead by the end of this week if results go their way, though City would have a game in hand.
The Londoners travel to Wolves on Wednesday and then to Tottenham on Sunday, while City have no midweek fixture but are in action against Newcastle on Saturday.
Injuries could well play a factor. Arteta has admitted that their persistent injury troubles might damage their quadruple hopes.
Wayne Rooney and Jamie Carragher were speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.
