Ferdinand slams Arteta over mistake that cost Arsenal in Premier League title race: ‘Put him in!’

Rio Ferdinand thinks Mikel Arteta’s failure to start Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri when Martin Odegaard was injured could cost the Gunners the title.

The Gunners have had a good season in the Premier League with Arteta’s side currently second in the Premier League after 25 matches played.

There is more pressure on them to win the title this year though, after finishing runners-up in each of the last two seasons to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.

But now they have a new adversary in the form of Liverpool with Arne Slot’s side currently seven points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League table with 13 matches to play.

Odegaard was missing in September and October for the Gunners with Arteta changing formation instead of replacing the Norway international like for like.

And Manchester United legend Ferdinand reckons his decision to not throw in Nwaneri could prove costly with Arsenal dropping seven points during the time Odegaard was out.

Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “Arsenal could be nearer to winning the league and closer to Liverpool if your manager played Nwaneri when Odegaard was injured.

“What he is doing… he is cooking defenders, he is cooking teams. I think if he came in you would have got more points.

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“It’s easy to say in hindsight but I was saying it at the time. Chuck him in and just see, what’s the worst that can happen?

“Because you were running up dead alleys at the time and not getting results. Put him in! Odegaard was gone.”

Arsenal and Liverpool still need to play each other in May in a potentially crucial clash at the end of the season, while the Reds will be tested severely in the next few matches with a tricky run of games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Arsenal’s next three look more favourable against West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United and Liverpool boss Slot admitted over the weekend it was now a two-horse race for the title.

Slot said: “We needed to fight and we needed Alisson. In a season where you want to achieve something, you need to have wins like this as well.

“Wins like this should also be included where you want to achieve something. You can never breathe in this competition.

“I see Arsenal’s 15-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and the gap has always been the same, so that shows what we have to do.

“If you look at the last few seasons it has mostly been a battle between two teams. As things stand, it looks like between us and Arsenal. Their form tells you how well they are doing, but also how well we are doing.”