January 2nd 2025.
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney recently shared his thoughts on Arsenal's midfielder Mikel Merino, questioning whether he is truly at the level of the Gunners despite recognizing his strong performance against Brentford.
Merino joined Arsenal last summer in a £32m move from Real Sociedad and has made 12 appearances in the Premier League this season. He scored in Arsenal's 3-1 comeback win over Brentford on New Year's Day, with Gabriel Martinelli also finding the back of the net.
Deeney, who named Merino in his BBC Sport Premier League Team of the Week, praised his versatility in midfield but admitted he is still unsure if he will be able to consistently perform at the level required for Arsenal.
"He was quality today," Deeney said of Merino. "But I'm not sure if he's going to be up to the level of Arsenal in the long-term. I'll give him until next year with a pre-season to see how he develops."
Despite his doubts, Deeney did acknowledge Merino's ability to play as a six or an eight and praised his ability to keep the ball moving. He also speculated that as a teammate, Merino must be excellent to have in the squad.
Arsenal's comeback win against Brentford saw them move back above Nottingham Forest and close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool to six points. Manager Mikel Arteta credited his team's resilience and ability to navigate through difficult moments, especially with injuries and sickness affecting the squad.
"We started really fast and aggressive and again adapting," Arteta said. "We had some injuries and sickness and we had to play some different players."
When asked about Arsenal's chances of catching Liverpool, Arteta stressed that the team can only control what is within their power and the rest is out of their hands.
Meanwhile, Arsenal legend Martin Keown praised the team's intensity in the second half and declared that they are still very much in the title race.
"They picked up the intensity, that is a strong signal from the team," Keown said. "They are alive and kicking, still alive in this title race."
Looking ahead, Arsenal will face Brighton on Saturday while Brentford, who are now without a win in five matches, will take on bottom-placed Southampton.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
