Mikel Arteta (left) and Jamie Redknapp - both pics GETTY
Mikel Arteta (left) and Jamie Redknapp - both pics GETTY
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp reckons Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hasn't handled attacker Eberechi Eze optimally following the Gunners' 4-1 Premier League win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (February 22).
Eze, 27, dazzled in both north London derbies this season, bagging a hat-trick in the 4-1 home win over Spurs in November and starring with a brace in the victory by the same scoreline at the weekend.
The Gunners broke the deadlock through Eze in the 32nd minute before Spurs went to the break on level terms, thanks to Randal Kolo Muani's equalise. However, it was all Arteta's side in the second half, with Eze completing his brace and striker Viktor Gyokeres also registering one of his own.
"Eberechi Eze made a mistake against Aston Villa at one point and came out of the team a bit after that," Redknapp said (via Metro) before the Spurs game. "But I do think the manager has mismanaged him. He’s a player who needs confidence, we saw that at Crystal Palace where he was great."
The £67.5 million summer arrival was at fault for not tracking back Matty Cash, who scored the opener in Aston Villa's 2-1 win over the Gunners in November. Taken off at half-time in that game, Eze has scored six times in the league this season, with five of them coming against Tottenham.
"I knew they were going to react" - Arsenal boss hails team after Spurs win
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was all praise for his team's character and resilience following back-to-back draws, the latest being a 2-2 stalemate at struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers midweek after squandering a two-goal advantage.
Nevertheless, he had no doubt that his team would bounce back against Tottenham on Sunday and was pleased that it happened, telling Sky Sports (as per the BBC):
"That's football. When you watch the game back against Wolves, how the hell do you drop two points there, nobody can explain it but this is the beauty of it. It looks like it's the end of the world and then you look at your players and how they react and how much they want it and I said it, I feel very, very privileged to work with them every day.
"I knew they were going to react. In football you can win draw or lose but the attitude we showed today, the desire, the dominance, it was really impressive, so I'm happy."
Arsenal are now five points clear at the top after 28 games but have played a game more. They next take on Chelsea at home in the league on Sunday (March 1).