Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Josh Holland

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta fired 'bang average' warning over Leeds United game

Tony Adams has told Leeds United how they can beat Arsenal in this afternoon's Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners face the relegation threatened side looking to take another step towards their first league title in 19 years.

Mikel Arteta's side are currently eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the league with tengames remaining. The north Londoners have been in red-hot form throughout the season and are now the favourites to lift the title in May.

Leeds face tough task to leave the capital with all three points. The Whites have won only six league games all season and are only two points above the relegation zone.

READ MORE: Why Arsenal vs Leeds United is not on TV - Premier League blackout rule explained

However, Javi Gracia's side have been handed a blueprint to defeat Arsenal by capitalising on the Gunners' ongoing injury issues. Arteta will be without William Saliba, Eddie Nketiah, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny for today's fixture, with there also being concerns over Thomas Partey.

The last time Arteta made changes to his starting XI, the Gunners crashed out of the Europa League by Sporting CP on penalties. And ex-Arsenal defender Tony Adams has slammed the back-up players as "bang average". "We all saw what happened when Mikel rested a couple of his big boys in the Europa League the other week," he wrote in the Sun.

"The back-up players looked bang average and were played off the park by Sporting Lisbon. At the moment they need Bukayo, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Oleks Zinchenko playing every week because they have a team that almost picks itself. But I’m sure they’ll give Bukayo that hefty new contract to keep him at the Emirates because they know he is irreplaceable.

"If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi. Bukayo is absolutely on fire and the reason Arsenal are top of the table."

READ NEXT:

Arsenal line-ups vs Leeds United as Gabriel Jesus starts, Trossard dropped and Holding steps up

What Gabriel Jesus did to hand Mikel Arteta major Leandro Trossard Arsenal dilemma for Leeds

Latest Arsenal injury news as seven miss Leeds United with Thomas Partey update

What 'forgotten' Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe said about Mikel Arteta ahead of transfer audition

Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Gabriel Jesus dilemma, William Saliba worry, Nicolas Pepe claim

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.