Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez sets up his team strongly at the back, and Paul Merson suggests that he would have done a better job regarding Arsenal’s away form.
Arsenal are challenging for the top four of the Premier League and have also reached the semi-finals of the Europa League this season.
The North London outfit have been superb at home so far this campaign, but away from the Emirates Stadium, Unai Emery’s side have not been great.
Arsenal have won five, drawn four and lost six matches in the Premier League for the Gunners so far this campaign.
Former Arsenal attacking midfielder Merson believes that had Newcastle manager Benitez been in charge of the Gunners, the North London outfit would have had a better record away from home.
Merson wrote in The Daily Star regarding Arsenal’s away form: “If someone like Rafa Benitez was in charge, Arsenal’s away record would be completely different.”
Defensive coach
Emery is an attack-minded coach, evidenced by the football his teams at Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain played.
Benitez is a brilliant manager and one of the best in the world, but the Newcastle boss has a reputation of being defensive-minded.
Perhaps away from home, Arsenal needed to be less adventurous and should have been tighter at the back.
After all, the Gunners have conceded 28 goals in the Premier League away from home this season – two more than they have scored on the road.
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