Ian Wright says £180k-a-week Arsenal star was a ‘massive miss’ v Manchester City

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Arsenal headed to their Premier League title rivals Manchester City on Sunday and played for a clean sheet.

It was a big move from Mikel Arteta, which played out, because his team earned a point in this closely-fought Premier League title battle.

Yes, there were times when Arsenal tried to push forward and hurt Manchester City’s depleted backline, but they just couldn’t find that spark.

That was proven by the wide players – Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus – practically playing as fullbacks because they were sitting so deep throughout the game.  

But it has to be noted that Arsenal’s centre-backs did their jobs and ensured Erling Haaland didn’t even get a sniff.

Ian Wright feels Gabriel Martinelli, who came on with ten minutes left on the clock, was a ‘massive miss’ for his team, as he told Premier League Productions (31/03/24 at 6:35 pm).

The £180k-a-week star wasn’t able to start because he was returning from injury, so Jesus started out wide instead, with Kai Havertz as the central figure.

But Wright made it clear that Martinelli would have been ‘the difference’ in Arsenal being able to ‘spring the attack’ if he was fit from the get-go.

Gabriel Martinelli v Manchester City

“I believe Martinelli was a massive miss,” said Wright. “I think he makes the difference in Arsenal being able to spring the attack. It would have given us a bit more confidence.

“I just think watching the game it just felt like Manchester City didn’t quite go into another gear and Arsenal didn’t feel like they didn’t need to go into another gear to try and win it.”

Liverpool lead Arsenal and Manchester City in Premier League title race

Well, there was only one winner after Sunday’s title matches – Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

The Reds played hours earlier against Brighton and secured a 2-1 win after going behind very early to a Danny Welbeck strike.

It now means that Liverpool leads Arsenal by two points and the current champions themselves by three points.

You just feel, with midweek games now kicking in, there are still going to be more twists and turns in this three-way battle to become champions of England.