Arsenal

Mikel Arteta 'facing backlash from Arsenal players'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 11 April 2021

Arsenal players allegedly turn on manager Mikel Arteta due to his confusing tactics and not taking the responsibility for his side's poor performances this season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is facing an alleged backlash from those in the Emirates dressing room amid their underwhelming season.

The Gunners' European hopes are hanging by a thread after a dismal 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague in their Europa League quarter-final first leg, during which Arteta's side missed several chances before conceding an equaliser right at the death.

Arsenal are now winless in four across all competitions before they take on Sheffield United on Sunday evening, and despite their initially strong defensive performances under Arteta, they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in 14 matches across all competitions.

According to The Sun, Arteta is now facing a player revolt due to his tactics and selection decisions, namely dropping more senior players to the bench in the wake of a disappointing result.

One such example is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's demotion to the bench against Slavia after his fruitless performance against Liverpool, but the Gabon international came off the bench to assist fellow substitute Nicolas Pepe for the opener in midweek.

The 11th-placed Gunners currently lie 13 points adrift of the top four and seven adrift of seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur, and Arteta has insisted that his side have a "responsibility" to qualify for Europe.