Gary Lineker has accused Mikel Arteta of employing one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most infamous tactics in order to win the Premier League title.
The Gunners are odds-on favourites to be crowned champions of England for the first time since 2004 after opening up a nine-point advantage at the top of the table.
Arteta will, however, be taking absolutely nothing for granted with seven games remaining and his side received something of a wake-up call prior to the international break with a Carabao Cup final defeat reminding them of Manchester City’s capabilities.
Pep Guardiola’s side still have a game in-hand and host the current leaders at the Etihad Stadium in three week’s time when they will hope to cut the lead to at least three points.
Given the workload his squad has already undertaken and the arduous schedule ahead, it has come as little surprise to see so many Arsenal players pull out of their respective international squads over the course of the past week.
Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie confirmed their intentions to return to London Colney ahead of schedule on Sunday, taking the total number of players who have pulled out to 10.
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Quite how injured the walking wounded are remains to be seen but Lineker suspects we will see a fair few recovering in time for Arsenal’s FA Cup tie against Southampton this weekend.
‘Interestingly a couple of Arsenal players have pulled out of this squad now. Both Saka and Declan Rice have gone,’ Lineker told his The Rest is Football podcast.
‘They joined people like Saliba and Gabriel and one or two other players. I think Arteta is playing a Sir Alex role here.’
Lineker was, of course, making reference to the former Manchester United manager who would often pressure his players, in particular Ryan Giggs, into missing friendly matches for their countries.
‘All managers have done that but generally it’s down to the players,’ Lineker added.
‘The manager would always pressure you to pull out of friendlies in particular. It happened to me a couple of times and on both occasions I said no chance.’
Given the timing of this latest round of friendlies and World Cup play-offs, Lineker’s fellow presenter Alan Shearer conceded it was only logical for so many Arsenal players to opt to put their feet up with so much at stake in the coming weeks.
He said: ‘It’s not surprising, it happens and it goes on. You’ve got to look at it from his point of view, the club’s point of view. I guess they’re looking at it and trying to make history.
That’s fine and you’ve got the right to do that as a player.
‘They are both friendlies and if there are two that are pretty much guaranteed a place in the squad as Rice and Saka are, Madueke has pulled out as well with injury.’
