Walcott suggests Arsenal should have signed a Chelsea player during the summer transfer window.

On Sunday at Stamford Bridge, Pedro Neto scored the equalizer for Chelsea. Theo Walcott, a former Arsenal player, believes that Arsenal should have competed with Chelsea for Neto's signing this summer after his impressive performance in the match. Neto's powerful long-range strike found its way into the bottom corner, securing a point for Chelsea after Gabriel Martinelli had given Arsenal the lead in the second half.

This goal was Neto's first in the Premier League for Chelsea, but he had already scored in the Conference League and Carabao Cup earlier in the season. The 24-year-old, who joined Chelsea from Wolves for £54 million, seems to have established himself as a regular in Enzo Maresca's starting lineup, having played the full 90 minutes in all three league matches so far.

Although Arsenal had been interested in Neto for many years, their manager, Mikel Arteta, ultimately decided to look elsewhere due to concerns about the winger's injury history. However, Walcott believes that Arsenal may regret this decision, especially given their recent struggles with injuries. He thinks that Neto could have provided much-needed depth to the squad.

"When we talk about Neto, he's the type of player that Arsenal could have signed to provide competition for other players," Walcott said on Match of the Day 2. "That's what they need right now, some healthy competition."

In the second half, Neto moved to the right side of the pitch, and Troy Deeney, a former Watford player, believes that he should continue to play in that position. "When you put him on the right side, because of his pace, the defender has to back off because he doesn't know if Neto will run or cross the ball," Deeney explained. "If you get too close to him, he can drop his shoulder and run past you. He's been doing really well playing off the right and cutting inside onto his left foot. He can shoot, he can cross, and his raw speed can really trouble defenders. He has been a fantastic acquisition for Chelsea."

While the away point and improved performance may give Arsenal fans some hope, the team is currently winless in their last four league games and nine points behind league leaders Liverpool. However, Walcott believes that the international break has come at the perfect time for his former club. "They've played six of last season's top ten teams, and five of those matches were away from home," he said. "They've also been without their leader Martin Odegaard. But now, they have their key players back, and even though Bukayo Saka and Declan have picked up injuries, they have the international break to recover. It's a good time for them to regroup."

Deeney, on the other hand, is less optimistic about Arsenal's chances in the title race. "Every game is massively important for Arsenal now," he said. "If they lose one more game, I think they're out of the title race, because then they will have to beat Liverpool and Manchester City away from home. It's a tough ask."

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