Gary Neville criticizes Arsenal's season performance, claims team has 'gone backwards'

Gary Neville criticized Arsenal's performance this season, stating they have 'gone backwards' after a 1-1 draw against Brentford that left them 13 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. His remarks were met with pushback from fellow pundit Robbie Mustoe, who argued that injuries to key players have hindered Arsenal's progress and that they are still likely to finish second in the league for the third consecutive year. Neville highlighted a drop in form from captain Martin Odegaard and expressed disappointment that Arsenal failed to capitalize on Manchester City's decline. Despite the criticism, some observers defended Arsenal's season, stressing the impact of injuries and controversial decisions affecting their performance. The focus now turns to their Champions League campaign, where success could redeem their season. Neville concluded that only winning the Champions League could salvage what he sees as a disappointing league run for the Gunners.