Paul Merson was left ‘flabbergasted’ by a comment Mikel Arteta made about Chelsea following Arsenal’s victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 on Sunday in a low-key London derby thanks to Mikel Merino’s first-half header.
Chances were at a premium in north London but Merino’s 20th-minute header fired Arsenal to a derby win as the Gunners consolidate their place as runners-up in the Premier League.
Chelsea stay fourth but were unable to extend their one-point lead over top-four rivals Manchester City, who could only draw 2-2 with Brighton earlier in the weekend.
Following the Emirates stalemate, Arteta praised his defence for keeping the ‘best attacking team in the league’ quiet.
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‘In my opinion, they’re the best attacking team in the league. By a mile,’ he said.
‘The stats say it, everything I’ve seen says it in open play. They can open you, they can run in transitions, they have individual quality, any player in the defensive line can threaten inside.
‘They can combine on both sides, their weaker sides, they are missing some big players at the moment.’
Chelsea were indeed one of the most prolific teams in front of goal in the first-half of the season, but that form has deserted them since mid-December.
Enzo Maresca’s side have scored 53 goals in 29 league games, the same amount as Arsenal but fewer than Manchester City and Liverpool.
‘I don’t know what I’m missing,’ Arsenal legend and Chelsea supporter Merson told Sky Sports.
‘When Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer are playing, they’re a good team. They bring the best out of each other.
‘Palmer’s a better player when Jackson’s playing and Jackson’s a better player when Palmer’s playing. That is fact.
‘But I’m flabbergasted by that quote. I honestly don’t get that. There will be a lot of Chelsea fans reading that thinking, “Wow! What is he talking about?”
‘Is Arteta saying that because Chelsea have spent £1.6bn yet haven’t got a forward and can’t score a goal and fans are moaning at him because Arsenal don’t have a forward?
‘Unless Cole Palmer plays, I don’t think Chelsea score goals. Chelsea are the best attacking team?
‘They scored one goal against Leicester to win 1-0. Leicester, in their previous 20 matches, had only failed once to let in two or more goals in a Premier League game.
‘I’m not buying into that one. I’m not buying in.’
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