\n<\/p>\n
Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney insists six Arsenal players \u201cdidn\u2019t turn up\u201d in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Erling Haaland\u2019s second-half strike was the difference between the sides as the Citizens took all three points in a potentially title-defining match at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n
Kai Havertz had cancelled out Rayan Cherki\u2019s spectacular opener by pouncing on a Gianluigi Donnarumma mistake in the first half but Arsenal<\/strong> missed a number of chances before Haaland settled the match.<\/p>\n Man City<\/strong> are now just three points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, and will go top of the Premier League if they beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n It was an improved performance from some of the disappointing displays in recent weeks from Arsenal but Deeney still thinks six players let Mikel Arteta down.<\/p>\n Deeney said on CBS Sports<\/em>: \u201cWe talk about how great Manchester City are but you have to say Noni Madueke didn\u2019t turn up, Martin Zubimendi didn\u2019t turn up, Martin Odegaard didn\u2019t turn up, Cristhian Mosquera didn\u2019t turn up, Piero Hincapie didn\u2019t turn up.<\/p>\n READ: <\/span>16 Conclusions from Man City 2-1 Arsenal: Cherki, Bernardo, Haaland, O\u2019Reilly, bottle<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAnd arguably, he\u2019s a friend of mine, Declan Rice didn\u2019t turn up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Arsenal have this many players not turning up and putting in a level of performance in that you would expect, you have to question it, you have top question where they were.\u201d<\/p>\n Predicting an \u201cepic meltdown\u201d on social media from Arsenal fans, Deeney added: \u201cThis has created a wonderful storyline but also, I\u2019ve been trying to keep it in and be respectful, but the Arsenal meltdown will be epic. The online meltdown will be epic.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the difference now for Arsenal is that normally that Newcastle game would be a really difficult game.<\/p>\n \u201cBut everything that\u2019s going on with Eddie Howe and Newcastle being all over the place at the moment, that\u2019s become a lot easier.<\/p>\n \u201cFulham, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace: you would normally say job done, you know they\u2019re going to win.<\/p>\n \u201cBut West Ham have a bit of form and they\u2019re fighting for their lives. Fulham and Marco Silva have had this weird season where they\u2019ve not really done anything.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE MAN CITY VS ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365\u2026<\/strong> Deeney reckons Arteta could be forced to prioritise either the Premier League or Champions League in order to ensure Arsenal don\u2019t end the season without silverware.<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cIn the middle of this there\u2019s the Champions League semi-finals and you have to prioritise one of the two. I don\u2019t think, with what we\u2019re seeing at the moment, that Arsenal can keep running these players into the ground and keep doing it.<\/p>\n \u201cManchester City on the other hand, all they have to worry about now is the Premier League. Obviously there\u2019s the FA Cup, but if they win this Premier League, with this squad\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHe could put James Trafford in, Tijjani Reijnders in, John Stones, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Phil Foden for the FA Cup and that\u2019s still an unbelievable team.<\/p>\n \u201cBut these Premier League games have all become a bit more difficult for City and I still think there\u2019s a bit of a twist in this between Arsenal and Manchester City.\u201d<\/p>\n On the key men for Man City, Deeney said:\u00a0\u201cThese guys (Doku, Cherki and Semenyo) won it for Manchester City. They were able to take Arsenal deep into the box.<\/p>\n \u201cThis area (right-back) has been a problem for Arsenal, whether it\u2019s been Mosquera, whether it\u2019s been Ben White. Mosquera got a yellow card within the first 20 minutes and he couldn\u2019t really get tight then.<\/p>\n \u201cI was a little bit disappointed, Doku could have got at Mosquera a lot more and actually the goal was the first time he gets at him.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when you have this player Cherki, it doesn\u2019t matter. He\u2019s by far Manchester City\u2019s best player at the moment and he also adds something different.\u201d<\/p>\n READ NEXT: <\/span>Neville claims Arteta was \u2018hampered enormously\u2019 by two Arsenal stars vs Man City<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n
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* <\/span>Arsenal delivering biggest bottlejob yet as Guardiola, Haaland, Silva show title-winning mettle<\/strong><\/p>\n