Martin Keown gives his response to Paul Scholes criticism

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·9 December 2025

Martin Keown gives his response to Paul Scholes criticism

Martin Keown has responded to Paul Scholes, who suggested that the Arsenal icon is biased following his commentary on the Aston Villa versus Arsenal match at the weekend. The Gunners were unable to secure victory as Villa worked diligently and capitalised on the gaps they discovered in Arsenal’s system throughout the game.

Villa has proven to be one of the teams capable of frustrating Arsenal, ensuring that the Gunners left their stadium without a win. While Arsenal made clear efforts to win the match, it was not sufficient to secure all three points. Despite the outcome, Keown selected Martin Odegaard as his Man of the Match during his commentary.

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Odegaard’s Performance

Odegaard displayed exceptional form and could have influenced the result for Arsenal, yet many observers would expect the accolade of Man of the Match to go to a player from the winning side. Scholes criticised Keown for this decision, prompting the former Arsenal defender to respond to the Manchester United legend.

Keown addressed the issue via Talk Sport, stating, “Look, people are going to say that I’ve got that Arsenal hat on, people know me, associate me with the successes at Arsenal, not necessarily the Villa fans. Paul Scholes probably wasn’t even born when I was playing for Aston Villa, so he doesn’t actually know I’ve got a foot in both camps… I’m trying to be balanced, and in a professional sense, I’m working hard to do that.”

Addressing the Criticism

Keown’s remarks highlight his commitment to professionalism and impartiality, even when commentating on a club with which he has strong historical ties. By emphasising his intention to remain balanced, he underlines the difficulty commentators often face in separating personal legacy from objective analysis. His selection of Odegaard as Man of the Match reflects the player’s individual contribution rather than the final result, demonstrating a focus on performance over outcome. This exchange between Keown and Scholes has reignited discussions on commentary bias and the criteria used for recognising individual excellence in football matches.

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