Arteta told he risks sacking if Arsenal bottle fourth Premier League attempt
Arsenal face fresh criticism over their title credentials after former winger Anders Limpar raised concerns about the squad’s mentality and warned manager Mikel Arteta could lose his job if silverware is not secured this season.
The comments follow Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at home, a result that has reopened the Premier League race despite the club holding a points advantage over Manchester City.
Title race concerns intensify
Arsenal remain in control of the standings, but the pressure has increased with City holding games in hand ahead of a decisive meeting later this month.
The loss to Bournemouth, combined with exits from domestic cup competitions, has shifted the narrative from progress to expectation.
Limpar questioned whether the current squad has the mental strength required to pull through the closing stages of the campaign.
“What I’m concerned about is how psychologically strong this Arsenal squad is when it comes to the critical moments,” he said.
“In terms of talent they are top of the table, top of all of Europe and the world, but when it comes to these moments it is a question of whether you have the mentally strong players to step up.”
He compared the current group to past leaders, adding: “In the past we have seen Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and other strong personalities as captains. Do they have the mental strength when it matters most? That’s what it is all about.”
Arteta under mounting pressure
Arteta, appointed in 2019, has delivered an FA Cup and two Community Shields, but expectations have risen following significant investment in the squad and sustained title challenges.
Limpar warned that failure to win a major trophy could have serious consequences for the Spaniard.
“If Arsenal fail to win a trophy this season, it would be devastating for Mikel Arteta,” he said.
“To not win anything this year would be a big, big blow for Arsenal but an even bigger blow for Arteta… if Arsenal don’t win, Arteta is probably going to be sacked.”
He also criticised Arteta’s handling of cup competitions, stating: “You can’t just throw away the FA Cup like that… that was throwing away a cup in my opinion.”
Despite the criticism, Limpar backed Arsenal to edge the title race, predicting they could finish ahead of Manchester City by a narrow margin.