Redknapp makes Eze claim after Arsenal beat Bournemouth: ‘I don’t think he’s going to be that expansive’ | OneFootball

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp insists Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is wary about using Eberechi Eze off the bench after the Gunners beat Bournemouth 3-2 on Saturday.

Arsenal went behind early on when a loose pass from Gabriel Magalhaes went straight to the feet Evanilson, who made no mistake by stroking the ball past a helpless David Raya.

Gabriel got his redemption on 16 minutes, though, when he slammed the ball into the net from inside Bournemouth’s penalty area to get Arsenal back on level terms.

Two good finishes from Declan Rice in the second half gave the Gunners a commanding 3-1 lead before Eli Junior Kroupi got one back for the Cherries.

But the match finished 3-2 and Arteta’s side took another three points to go six points clear of second-placed Aston Villa, although third-placed Manchester City can close the gap to four points when they face Chelsea in their game in hand on Sunday.

Summer signing Eze was on the bench again against Bournemouth with Arteta choosing not to use the England international, who has not played any minutes since December 23, when he started in the League Cup against Crystal Palace.

Redknapp told Sky Sports: “They’re bringing on [Mikel] Merino towards the end of the game and he’s [Arteta] not looking around to bring on Eze or Myles Lewis-Skelly to go and win the game 4-2 or 5-2.

“He’s [Arteta] thinking, ‘I want to keep hold of what I’ve got’, that’s the sort of manager he is, I don’t think he’s going to be that expansive.”

Arsenal legend Paul Merson insists the incredible squad depth that the Gunners possess reminds him of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squads at Manchester United.

Merson said: “It’s the substitutions as well, they seem to just grind teams down, I thought they ground Villa down last week and I think today they did.

“When you watched the first half, Declan Rice every time he got it someone was on him, had his head down, whoever was in midfield, but when you look at his goals no one was near him and they dictated the game, second half they had more composure, Bournemouth players didn’t get near the midfield three in the second half, first half they were all over them like a rash.

“Their squad is so strong, it’s so, so strong. The three substitutions that came on remind me of the old Sir Alex Ferguson Man United teams. I played in a Villa game once against Man United and I think they brought on Van Nistelrooy, Scholes and Giggs and you’re like, ‘oh really’.

“He [Arteta] has got to get it right though, I thought it was a game for Saka to start, for me, difficult away ground to go to but they come out with flying colours, again, it wasn’t vintage but they’re six points clear at the top.”