Paul Merson was “flabbergasted” by a Mikel Arteta selection in Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham on Saturday.
Jarrod Bowen scored the only goal of the game at the end of the first half for Graham Potter’s side, with defeat for the Gunners leaving them 11 points behind league-leaders Liverpool, who beat Manchester City on Sunday.
Arteta has had an injury crisis to deal with at the Emirates, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus all missing the clash with the Hammers.
Midfielder Mikel Merino scored a brace having come off the bench to play as a striker against Leicester the week before and was handed a start up top, flanked by academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard.
Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling, who has endured a difficult time at Arsenal this season, made way for Merino, and Merson couldn’t believe that call from Arteta.
“They [Arsenal] are not far off Liverpool long term,” Merson told Sky Sports. “Arsenal have got massive injuries. You take them three players out. I mean, I look at it on Saturday.
“You’d probably take the front three of West Ham on Saturday over Arsenal’s front three. This week, this Wednesday, you 100 per cent take the front three at [Nottingham] Forest.
“They’d all get into the Arsenal team this week, this midweek. All of them and this is where it is. They have bad injuries.
“They’re [Arsenal] not a million miles behind Liverpool. There’s hardly anything in it. When you’ve got those kinds of injuries, it’s just difficult.
“If they had [Bukayo] Saka, [Kai] Havertz and [Gabriel] Martinelli as their front three, the gap would be a lot shorter than what it is now. There’s no getting away from that.
“I was flabbergasted [Mike] Merino started up front again, you’ve got to play [Raheem] Sterling. I know Sterling hasn’t pulled up any trees. Liverpool will win the league, but the gap will close.”
Merson added: “So, I don’t think Arsenal have to do much. I think Liverpool have to try and do what they’ve got to do. I wouldn’t be worried about Arsenal. Arsenal have missed out because they’ve been injured.”
Arteta said he was “very, very angry” with his side’s performance.
When asked about his side’s title prospects, Arteta said: “It’s not in our hands.
“I’m really, really annoyed with the things that are in our hands – which is the performance and the result.
“[We were] nowhere near the levels that we have to hit to have the opportunity to win a Premier league. I’m very much responsible for that, so I’m very, very angry.”