^ ^ Chelsea legend says four Arsenal players are suffering because of Mikel Arteta

Arsenal drew with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League (Picture: Getty)

John Obi Mikel has accused Arsenal of ‘cheating’ their way to a Premier League title and says four players are suffering because of Mikel Arteta’s ‘ridiculous’ tactics.

Arsenal, who last won the Premier League in 2004, boast a seven-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table.

Man City have a game in hand over the Gunners, however, and a home match against Arteta’s side to try and close the gap on Arsenal.

Despite competing for all four trophies this season, Arsenal have attracted criticism for their style of play from a number of pundits and a large section of fans.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Obi Mikel says he ‘will not recognise’ Arsenal as Premier League champions if they go on to clinch the title due to their tactics and reliance on set-play goals.

The two-time Premier League winner also said Arteta’s tactics are having a negative impact on Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Eberechi Eze.

Only Viktor Gyokeres has scored more than six Premier League goals for Arsenal this season, with captain Odegaard and winger Martinelli only netting one apiece.

Your football fix

Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.

Sign up here, it's an open goal.

Former Chelsea title winner John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty)

‘When I watch Arsenal play they depend solely on corners,’ Obi Mikel told talkSPORT.

‘You have spent almost a billion, Mikel Arteta, and you’re telling me the only way you can win games is through corner kicks? It’s ridiculous.

‘The only reason Arsenal fans are not complaining about the style of football is because they’re top of the league.

❌ "I wouldn't recognise Arsenal as winners!"😡 "For me, they've cheated their way to winning the Premier League!"John Obi Mikel really, really doesn't like the way #AFC are using set pieces to win the Premier League… 👀 pic.twitter.com/x9nUFpFyI3

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 11, 2026

‘The creativity they have, the potential they have — it’s all gone out of the window. We don’t see the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard anymore because they depend solely on corners.

‘If they win playing like this, I wouldn’t recognise them as winners. For me it’s a cheat. They’ve cheated their way to winning the Premier League.

‘It’s illegal the way they’re winning games and the Premier League should stamp it out because we don’t want to see it.

@metrosportuk

If it works, it works… right? 🤷‍♂️ Arsenal legend Alan Smith tells rival fans who claim the Gunners play boring football and rely on set-pieces to ‘suck it up’. #alansmith #arsenal #setpiece #premierleague #championsleague

♬ original sound – Metro Sport

‘You can’t play like this when you’ve spent a billion, there’s so much creativity in the squad – Eze, Odegaard, Saka – let them express themselves. They are so rigid and dependent on corner kicks.’

Kai Havertz’s late penalty earned Arsenal a 1-1 draw in their Champions League last-16 first-leg against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night.

Speaking after the draw, Arteta said: ‘The game had different phases, some in the first half when we were very dominant and we had a big chance.

Chelsea drew 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen (Picture: Getty)

‘When you miss those chances, obviously the game can change. Then after that, we didn’t finish enough actions, every time we got in and around the box, we gave the ball away and that allowed certain counter-attacks and that was very unlike us.

‘Without really considering anything, we needed to show certain things. We discussed that at half-time and we expected to start very fast, especially because we knew certain routines that they have on kick-offs, because they had three at the weekend and still, we got caught.

‘We weren’t ready enough; we conceded a chance on the header and after that we conceded the goal.

‘So, when you give that hope and advantage to the opponent at that level, they’re going to take it and then we had to really dig in because emotionally it becomes a very different challenge.

‘We had 10-15 minutes that we didn’t really have enough threat and enough understanding of how we had to attack that block, but in the last 20 minutes, 25, with the changes I think it was much better.

‘In the end, we found a way to score the goal and draw the game.’

Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge against Everton this weekend before the second leg against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Wesley Fofana praises two PSG stars after Chelsea suffer Champions League defeat

Wesley Fofana and Chelsea were put to the sword by Paris Saint-Germain (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana admitted his side were handed a reality check by Paris Saint-Germain after last night’s sobering Champions League defeat.

Liam Rosenior’s young side were more than a match for the holders and fully deserved to be on terms when Enzo Fernandez made it 2-2 shortly before the hour mark.

A catastrophic error from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, however, presented Vitinha with the chance to restore PSG’s lead with 16 minutes remaining and two late goals from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left Chelsea with a mountain to climb in next week’s return fixture.

Ousmane Dembele, recently returned from injury, had earlier given Luis Enrique’s side a 2-1 lead, applying the perfect finish to a sweeping move having tied Fofana up in knots in the process.

‘It’s nothing new,’ said Fofana when asked to assess PSG’s class in attack. ‘I think everyone knows it. Last year, they were European champions, and that’s not for nothing.

‘They have a Ballon d’Or winner, they have Ousmane (Dembele), who is among the best players in the world, even now, even though he’s coming back from injury.

‘So yes, for sure, they are great players, they only have great players.’

Your football fix

Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.

Sign up here, it's an open goal.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored two late goals to sink Chelsea (Picture: Getty)

The tie was still in the balance heading into the closing stages but the impact Kvaratskhelia made coming off the bench is likely to prove decisive with the Georgia international punishing Chelsea’s naivety.

‘We saw it, they bring on another great player (Kvaratskhelia). He hurt us, he scores two goals.

‘Was it a difficult moment? Physically, we were struggling because we pressed a lot, we tried to go man-to-man throughout the match, but they are a great team.

‘Tonight, they showed that, so hats off to them.’

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tipped the balance of the tie in PSG’s favour (Picture: Getty)

Pedro Neto, meanwhile, has apologised for pushing a ball boy to the ground during a frenetic end to the game.

The incident occurred with Chelsea trailing 4-2 in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes Rosenior’s side sought a late response.

The PSG players reacted angrily after Neto wrestled the ball off the ball boy, leaving him on the ground and sparking a melee, and the Portuguese winger spoke after the match to hold his hands up.

‘I want to come out to say the situation that happened on the pitch, I want to apologise to the ball boy,’ the 26-year-old told TNT Sports.

Ousmane Dembele fired PSG into a 2-1 lead (Picture: Getty)

‘I already spoke with him. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push and I saw that I hurt him in a sort of way.

‘I’m not like this. I went there to apologise, I gave him my shirt as well. That cannot happen, so I’m really, really sorry about that.’

Neto escaped without any punishment from the referee, and head coach Rosenior also apologised in his post-match press conference.

“If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologise on behalf of the club,” he said.

It was the home side who had the last laugh, though, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring his second goal four minutes into stoppage time to make it 5-2 and put PSG within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Man Utd transfer boost as Arsenal drop interest in £100m star

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been linked with both Manchester United and Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal have reportedly cooled their interest in Sandro Tonali after being heavily linked with the Newcastle midfielder towards the end of the January transfer window.

A deadline-day report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed Tonali had been offered to Arsenal by his agent following an injury to Mikel Merino, who is likely to miss the remainder of the season.

The Gunners were said to have ‘admired Tonali for a long time’ but Newcastle made it clear they had no intention of losing the 25-year-old unless an astronomical fee was paid.

And while Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta ‘explored’ the possibility of bringing Tonali to the Emirates, no direct talks took place between the two Premier League rivals and a deal was never considered realistic.

Mikel Arteta made no secret of the fact Arsenal were trying to ‘find solutions’ to bolster his squad for the second half of the campaign, but the Spaniard was ultimately left disappointed as the transfer deadline came and went.

According to Chronicle Live, Arsenal have since dropped any interest they had in Tonali after holding internal discussions to determine potential goals and ambitions for the summer.

Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus are keeping close tabs on the situation and remain keen on Tonali, but it would likely require an offer in excess of £100million to prise the Italy international away from St James’ Park.

Your football fix

Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.

Sign up here, it's an open goal.

Tonali’s agent offered the Italy international to Arsenal in January (Picture: Getty)

The Magpies have slapped a £100m price tag on Tonali ahead of the summer transfer window (Picture: Getty)

The report claims Tonali’s name did not feature on Arsenal’s initial shortlist of targets, adding that the league leaders may have as little as £40m to spend on new recruits in order to comply with PSR restrictions.

The Gunners can now be ‘crossed off the list’ of possible destination for Tonali, with a move to the Emirates deemed ‘impossible’.

It comes after Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christhian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga all joined Arsenal in a £250m spending spree last summer.

In recent days, it has been widely reported that Arsenal could be willing to part with a genuine first-time star such as Martin Odegaard or Gabriel Martinelli in order to help balance the books.

Up Next

Amid the incessant speculation and gossip surrounding Tonali’s future, Eddie Howe has vehemently denied claims that the former AC Milan star could be feeling ‘unsettled’.

‘I don’t think so, but lots of things happen without my knowledge,’ the Newcastle head coach told reporters last month.

‘As far as I’m aware, we’ve got a player who is an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person. He’s very happy here. He’s got a great relationship with me, his team-mates and seems really happy within himself.

Howe is confident Tonali remains committed to Newcastle (Picture: Getty)

Howe added: ‘That would surprise me [if Tonali became unsettled], but our best players will always attract glances from other clubs – that’s just the reality of football.

‘We want to keep our group together, we want to be progressive and Sandro plays a part in that. All encompassed, I don’t see an issue but I don’t control everything.

‘There was certainly no intention from our side to lose Sandro at all. He’s such an integral player to what we’re doing.

‘He’s very happy here. He is absolutely fine. I had discussions with him and he is absolutely focused on playing for us.’

@metrosportuk

Arsenal could be the luckiest treble winners EVER 🫣 When you actually look at Arsenal’s draw across all competitions there’s genuinely a chance they could win multiple trophies, and without facing too many top teams. Could they become the luckiest treble winners of all time? #arsenal #premierleague #treble #mancity #footballnews

♬ original sound – Metro Sport – Metro Sport

In a recent interview with Italian newspaper Tuttosport, Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso refused to rule out the possibility of a big-money move for his client in the summer.

‘Newcastle is having a hard time letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club into the Champions League this season,’ Riso explained.

‘These transfer discussions will take place later.

‘We’ll see how the season ends and then decide what to do.’

Tonali has two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract at St James’ Park (Picture: Getty)

Asked if a return to Serie A could be on the cards for Tonali, Riso replied: ‘There’s no preference right now.

‘It’s still early. What we’re saying today won’t apply tomorrow.

‘Newcastle couldn’t part with him now and it wasn’t worth moving, especially since Sandro is very attached to the club.

‘We’ll evaluate things in the summer and decide what to do.’

Tonali has made 103 appearances in all competitions across his three-year stay in Newcastle and helped the club end their long wait for silverware last term as Howe’s men went all the way in the Carabao Cup.

A ten-month ban – after Tonali was found to have breached Italian betting regulations – meant the central midfielder played just eight league games in his debut season with the Magpies.

Tonali’s current contract in the north east runs through to June 2028, with the option of a further 12 months.

POLL

Is Sandro Tonali worth £100m?

• Yes
• No

Sign up to In The Mixer, your guide to the week in football. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk – sign up, it’s an open goal.

Team ?

Let us know which team you support.

Select All

Arsenal

Aston Villa

Bournemouth

Brighton

Burnley

Chelsea

Crystal Palace

Everton

Fulham

Leeds United

Liverpool

Manchester City

Manchester United

Newcastle

Nottingham Forest

Sunderland

Tottenham

West Ham

Wolves

Email

I agree to receive newsletters from Metro

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Arsenal and Chelsea given hope of signing Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid smash Tottenham

Julian Alvarez during Atletico Madrid’s win over Tottenham (Picture: Getty)

Julian Alvarez refused to rule out the possibility of a summer move away from Atletico Madrid after the emphatic Champions League victory over Tottenham.

Diego Simeone’s side all but secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 5-2 last-16 first-leg win over struggling Spurs.

Atletico raced into a 3-0 lead inside 15 minutes at the Metropolitano Stadium thanks to goals from Marcos Llorente, Antoine Griezmann and Alvarez.

The hosts’ dominance was as much to do with Tottenham’s dismal display than their own excellence, with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky making two mistakes before being subbed off after only 17 minutes.

His replacement, Tottenham No. 1 Guglielmo Vicario, conceded again minutes later but the visitors did at least get one goal back before half-through through Pedro Porro.

But any hopes of a stunning comeback were quickly dashed as Alvarez scored again to put Atletico Madrid 5-1 up.

Dominic Solanke scored Tottenham’s second late on but it was still a desperately disappointing night for Spurs, who are on the verge of a disastrous season.

Your football fix

Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.

Sign up here, it's an open goal.

Alvarez starred in Atletico’s Champions League win (Picture: Getty)

Five straight Premier League defeats has left the north London side 16th in the table, just a point above the relegation zone with nine games remaining.

Tottenham sacked Thomas Frank last month but there are strong calls for his replacement Igor Tudor to also bite the bullet after losing his first four games in charge.

Alvarez praised Atletico’s dominant performance against Spurs before surprisingly hinting he could be on the move in the summer amid interest from the Premier League.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with moves (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been heavily linked with the Argentina international, who won back-to-back league titles at Manchester City before his £82m move to Spain in 2024.

Asked whether he would be at Atletico Madrid next season, Alvarez said: ‘I don’t know, I might be, or I might not. I’m happy. I’m thinking about the day to day.’

Simeone, meanwhile, urged his Atletico star to stay at the club ‘for many years’ after his side’s emphatic win over Tottenham.

“It’s still not finished!”Dávid Hancko insists there is still work to do despite Atlético Madrid’s big win 🗣️@LiamMacdevitt 🎙️📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/0Wl08RuUD0

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 10, 2026

‘He looks happy to me,’ Simeone said. ‘He’s scoring goals, if you look at the teams he’s been at [River Plate and Man City], Atletico is the team where he’s scored the most goals.

‘He looks committed, positive. There isn’t much difference between this season and last season in terms of the goals he’s scored.

‘Let’s hope he can stay for many years at Atletico Madrid, and we can keep building a team so that important players want to stay.’

Antonin Kinsky during Tottenham’s dismal defeat (Picture: Getty)

The Gunners spent £64m to sign Viktor Gyokeres last summer and while he has started to be more prolific in front of goal – scoring 15 times in all competitions – there remain concerns over his all-round play.

Chelsea are believed to be interested in Alvarez despite Joao Pedro’s bright first season at Stamford Bridge following his £60m move from Brighton.

Alvarez has also been linked with a move to Atletico’s La Liga rivals Barcelona and it has been suggested that would be his favoured destination if he was to leave.

Up Next

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has urged his former club to win the race to sign Alvarez, however, after being impressed by his spell at Manchester City.

‘For me, Alvarez would be a great addition to the squad,’ told Metro via BetMGM. ‘There will always be people coming and going in the summer because it’s a big squad and they can’t keep everyone happy.

‘But Alvarez would be a fantastic option to have with his pace and what we saw at Man City.

‘It was always going to be difficult for him playing with Erling Haaland there but when he did start and when he did play, he was always lively.

‘He’s a young man too, so if he’s available it’s a yes for me. We know how Arteta likes to work with young players to make them better so I think it would be a great addition, definitely.’

Before the second leg of the last-16 Champions League clash, Tottenham will look to ease their growing relegation fears with another tricky game against Liverpool at Anfield.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, return to La Liga action against Getafe sitting third in the table.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source