December 5th 2024.
Gary Neville, a former player for Manchester United and the England national team, recently shared his thoughts on Arsenal's midfield during the Gunners' 2-0 victory over United at the Emirates Stadium.
The match saw Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, and Declan Rice start in a three-man midfield against Ruben Amorim's United. The Gunners, who are aiming to win their first Premier League trophy since 2004, struggled to break down United's defense in the first half. However, they managed to score twice from corners in the second half, narrowing the gap between them and league leaders Liverpool.
During a live watchalong on The Overlap, Neville made a "controversial" statement about Arsenal's midfielder Jorginho. The Italian player, who joined Arsenal from Chelsea in 2023 for £12 million, has mostly been a substitute under manager Mikel Arteta. But Neville believes that the Gunners play better when Jorginho is on the field.
"I know this might be a controversial opinion, but I think Arsenal are better when Jorginho is in the midfield instead of Thomas Partey," Neville stated.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright appeared to agree with Neville, saying, "Because he [Jorginho] was so good, you could have started him and brought Partey on when he ran out of steam."
With Liverpool drawing 3-3 against Newcastle United, Arsenal's win over Manchester United helped them close the gap at the top of the table. Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon commented on the Gunners' performance, saying, "That's all they can do to chip away at Liverpool's lead in the Premier League, with the way Liverpool have started."
Dixon also praised United's tactics in the first half, which frustrated Arsenal and made it difficult for them to score. However, Arsenal came out with more energy and were able to change the game in their favor in the second half.
"It wasn't the prettiest thing to watch at times in the first half, but they set up really well and really disciplined," Dixon noted. "But Arsenal are off the charts. They change games and they certainly did that."
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