Arsenal legend rubbishes Paul Scholes’ explosive comment about Mikel Arteta’s squad

Martin Keown has dismissed Paul Scholes’ recent criticism of Arsenal as nothing more than ‘mischievousness’, urging Mikel Arteta’s squad not to take any notice.

Arsenal have built an imperious six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after a strong start to the campaign following three consecutive runners-up finishes in the English top flight.

After a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester United, it proved a dream weekend for the Gunners, who thumped Leeds at Elland Road before seeing both Manchester City and Aston Villa drop points on Sunday.

But despite their dominance at the summit, the north London giants have faced their fair share of criticism for what many perceive to be an unattractive style of play under Arteta.

Arsenal have developed a reputation for their set-piece prowess over the last two seasons and, until this weekend, they were languishing way down in 17th in the Premier League when measuring on their percentage of goals scored from open play.

It was statistics such as this that led Manchester United legend Scholes to suggest that Arteta’s men could become the worst team to ever win the Premier League title on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

‘If Arsenal win the league, this could be the worst team to win the league,’ Scholes said.

‘If you’re thinking of picking a team of the season and picking the front four, nobody from the Arsenal team gets in that.

‘Look at previous champions – Liverpool’s forwards, brilliant. Possibly the only one is [Bukayo] Saka, and I don’t think he’s been brilliant.

‘He’s not scored many goals this year or assists.’

Ex-Arsenal defender Keown urged Arteta’s players to ignore the outside noise as he addressed Scholes’ remarks on talkSPORT alongside Simon Jordan and host Jim White today.

Asked if Arsenal had provided the ‘perfect response’ with their emphatic win over Leeds, Keown replied: ‘Yeah, of course they did.

‘They journey of week-to-week, you’ve got to shut that noise out.

‘People talking about them being champions, some mischievously saying that this would be the worst ever team [to win it].

‘You’ve just got to go and win it, it doesn’t matter what you look like. It doesn’t matter at all.

‘Obviously people try to create that pressure and when you don’t get what you want they look for all kinds of weaknesses.

‘But Arsenal are better than everybody else right now, that’s all the need to be.’

Keown joked that Scholes’ comment about Arsenal was akin to one of his clumsy, ‘waist-high’ challenges that he became known for during his playing days.

‘Look, I love Paul but this comment is like one of his tackles, it’s waist-high,’ Keown added.

‘Paul has still got it in his head, this Arsenal thing is starting to emerge… maybe Manchester United are starting to emerge as well at the same time as well. Let’s get it on the future.

‘Maybe Manchester United aren’t ready to win it this year but they shut Arsenal up the week before.

‘I think Arsenal just need to concentrate, play their games, not listen to the noise that’s on the outside.

‘Arsene Wenger said this to us many years ago: there’s no meaning to everyone telling us that we’re favourites, don’t listen to it. Just go and do it.

‘That’s what Arsenal did at the weekend, I think it was quite an emphatic result.’

Keown hopes to see Arsenal ramp up the pressure on Manchester City when they return to action at home to Sunderland on Saturday, with Pep Guardiola’s side facing Liverpool the following day.

‘Do you know? No one is going to be listening to Paul Scholes on the Arsenal team,’ Keown – who won three Premier League titles with Arsenal – went on.

‘For God’s sake, you just get on with your game and you try and win. This would be the first title in 22 years. They’re doing exceptionally well.

‘There will be lots of twists and turns between now and the end of the season.

‘What I would say is that Paul has been at a lot of these races to the finish and it’s one of those where just one victory doesn’t mean you’re going to be champions. It’s onto the next one.

‘Arsenal can go nine points clear next weekend and then Manchester City go to Anfield the next day.

‘Make it nine points, make them look at nine points overnight, and it starts to sink in, then City start to question themselves.

‘If City go to Anfield and win then they’re still massively in this race without a doubt.’

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