Gary Neville noticed something different about Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during the Gunners’ North London Derby win.
Arsenal beat Tottenham 4-1 at the Emirates to earn bragging rights and three essential points on matchday 12.
Eberechi Eze earned the headlines with his hat-trick, with Leandro Trossard also scoring to give Mikel Arteta a fourth consecutive North London Derby win in the Premier League.
The Arsenal manager was beaming at full-time, and for good reason, as Gary Neville spotted a shift in the Spaniard’s perspective.
Gary Neville says it’s clear Mikel Arteta was not interested in injury excuses during the North London Derby
Neville predicted that Arsenal would beat Spurs 2-1, with the Gunners adding two more to the pundit’s prediction to really rub salt into Thomas Frank’s wounds.
After the match, the Manchester United icon made it clear that he loved what he saw from Arsenal, but even more so from Arteta.
Despite Arsenal’s influx of injuries, Neville noticed that those absent from the match were not a talking point.
“I think the narrative going into today’s game, which I wasn’t even entertaining sort of in the hours, is this, you know, without Gabriel or Gabriel’s injured, no one’s interested anymore,” Neville said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
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The pundit was referencing the worry about how Gabriel’s injury would impact the North London Derby, with no consideration given to the matter on the day.
“Arsenal fans aren’t interested, Mikel Arteta is not interested, and what they’ve demonstrated again today is that they’ve now got a squad that can cope without players being fit.”
Neville took the time to hail Arsenal’s squad depth, giving a nod to Piero Hincapie’s ability to slot in alongside William Saliba in Gabriel’s absence.
The list of Arsenal players missing from the North London Derby
Gabriel was the main talking point on the injury front ahead of the game, as the defender scored twice in the North London Derbies last season.
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Hincapie came in and impressed against Tottenham, but it wasn’t only at the back where key absences could be found.
After winning and scoring four goals in the process, it’s surprising to remember that Arteta was missing four of his attackers against Spurs.
Trio of strikers, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were absent, as was captain Martin Odegaard, whose replacement certainly bridged the gap.
Arsenal’s squad depth is admirable and potentially difference-making in this Premier League title race.