Neville warns Arteta could regret handbrake approach as Arsenal face tactics questions

Arsenal's tactics came under renewed scrutiny after a 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester City this past weekend. Gary Neville warned Mikel Arteta that he risks regret if he does not loosen what he described as a handbrake approach, following a team selection that left out Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka in favor of Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard. The result, secured by Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time lob, kept Arsenal in the hunt for a top-four finish and possibly more this season but intensified questions about how far Arteta is willing to push his attackers in big games.

Neville, speaking after the match, argued that the dressing room would be thinking they had been dealt the same hand again, a line-up that seemed more conservative than necessary against City. He said the club cannot look back at the end of the season and see five points dropped in two games that could have been claimed by fielding a more attacking side. The pundit warned that if Arteta does not start to take the handbrake off, the issue risks becoming a pattern rather than an exception.

Arteta defended his selection, insisting Arsenal controlled the game and dominated possession against Guardiola's side, who are famed for controlling the ball. He cited the 68 percent share of possession and argued that domination, not pace of play, defined the performance. The Spaniard told reporters that the notion of a purely negative approach understates what his team achieved in an intense 96-minute contest.

Eze, who joined Arsenal in the close season, re-entered the squad midway through the first half after Saka and Martinelli were left on the bench, while Merino's availability gave Arteta a different midfield option. The substitute's influence was immediate: Eze delivered the through ball that set up Martinelli's equaliser with a perfectly weighted over-the-top pass. With Martin Odegaard still sidelined by injury, the competition for places at the attacking end of Arsenal's lineup is only set to intensify, with Saka, Martinelli, Eze and Trossard all in the mix.

Arteta's selection choices will also be weighed against the upcoming fixtures. Arsenal were scheduled to play Newcastle United on Sunday in the Premier League, with Odegaard out injured, alongside Noni Madueke and likely William Saliba, who have been duration injuries in the squad. Earlier in the week, Arsenal beat Port Vale 2-0 in the Carabao Cup, with Eze and Trossard scoring, a result that offered a potential blueprint for more attacking options as the season progresses.

This strategy debate comes as Arsenal prepare for a tricky run of fixtures, with Arteta under pressure to translate controlling performances into results and silverware. Neville's remarks reflect a broader narrative around Arteta's tenure: can he balance risk and reward against elite opponents while keeping a squad with several attacking options content and productive?