Adams claims Arteta ‘needs’ six Arsenal stars ‘playing every week’ as other options are ‘bang average’

Club legend Tony Adams has argued that six Arsenal stars ‘need to play every week’ if they are going to maintain their push for the Premier League title.

The Gunners have surpassed expectations this season after they narrowly missed out on a place in the top four in 2021/22.

Mikel Arteta’s side are mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title as they are currently eight points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and face Liverpool in the early kick-off this Saturday. Arsenal meanwhile face Leeds United later in the day.

Several of Arsenal’s players have stepped up this season as Arteta is getting the maximum out of the players at his disposal.

But following Arsenal’s exit from the Europa League at the hands of Sporting Lisbon, Adams has warned his former club that Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko all must play ‘every week’.

‘We all saw what happened when Mikel rested a couple of his big boys in the Europa League the other week,’ Adams wrote for The Sun.

‘The back-up players looked bang average and were played off the park by Sporting Lisbon.

‘At the moment they need Bukayo, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Oleks Zinchenko playing every week because they have a team that almost picks itself.

‘But I’m sure they’ll give Bukayo that hefty new contract to keep him at the Emirates because they know he is irreplaceable.

‘If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi.

‘Bukayo is absolutely on fire and the reason Arsenal are top of the table.

‘Erling Haaland might be scoring hundreds of goals for Manchester City and Marcus Rashford is also having a phenomenal season for United.

‘But Bukayo is, hands down, the Footballer of the Year because he was England’s best player at the World Cup and he’s been the best player for the team eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.”

Arteta has admitted he has been taken aback by the consistency Saka has shown for Arsenal this season.

“First of all, I think you have to recognise what he’s been doing. The consistency he’s shown at his age and at this level is something rare to see. He’s taken it with normality,” Arteta said.

“If you ask me if he has room for improvement, I would say: ‘Yes – a lot.’ He’s never satisfied, he always wants more and he can still do a lot of things better and more efficiently.

“But we are really pleased to have him.”

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