‘It might effect him’ – Rooney slams Arteta for ‘strange’ decision not to start one Arsenal star | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has criticised Mikel Arteta for his decision to leave Viktor Gyokeres out of the Arsenal starting XI to face Manchester City on Sunday.

Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland scored a goal each either side of a Kai Havertz strike to give Man City a 2-1 win against Arsenal in the Premier League.

The victory means Pep Guardiola’s side are now just three points behind the Gunners and the Citizens can go top if they win their game in hand against Burnley on Wednesday night.

Arsenal missed some good chances against Man City and Rooney was baffled by Arteta’s decision to put Gyokeres on the bench against the Citizens.

When asked about Arteta omitting Gyokeres from the starting XI as Arsenal faced Man City, Rooney told BBC Sport: “I think these decisions if he comes on and scores the winner or scores the equalising goal obviously it’s the right decision.

“I thought with him not starting, Arsenal would’ve tried to sit in there. It was a strange one him not starting because you bring a No.9 in which they’ve been looking for all season, and I actually think he’s done OK, to not start him in such a big game I think that might effect him.”

On the title race, Rooney added: “This title race is not over yet, I still feel like there are some more twists and turns to come. It is is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favourites.

“I’ve been in this situation myself, where you need to win all your games for the title.

“You look at your games and you think well we should win this one, or that one, but it never pans out that way.

“From now until the end of the season it is just going to be down to which team keeps their composure the best – that’s who will win it.

Arteta: ‘It is a new Premier League’

Arsenal head coach Arteta insists “it is a new Premier League” after Man City got the win over them on Sunday.

Arteta told reporters: “The biggest disappointment is that we did a lot of good things during the game.

“They created some individual moments and we created the biggest chances of the game but we didn’t score.

“There was an element of luck and hitting the post was unfortunate. It has to go your way and it didn’t today.

“We lost an opportunity in terms of the result. They have a game in hand, we have three points. Game on because it is a new Premier League.”