Speaking on the Obi One podcast, Mikel did not hold back in his assessment of the current state of affairs at his former club. The Nigerian, who spent over a decade in West London, expressed his disbelief at the decision to move on from a manager who had modernised the team’s playing style. He suggested that the foundations built under the previous regime have been discarded too hastily, leaving the squad in a state of transition that has hindered their momentum in the race for the top four.
"We had Enzo Maresca. I've said it, I think it was a massive mistake to sack him. I mean, it's ridiculous," Mikel said on the Obi One podcast. "Yeah, a manager that won us the Club World Cup, won us the Conference League, we had some sort of identity the way we played. We took a step forward, and we've gone five steps backwards. Liam has come in, and he's won games, but there is absolutely something that is missing. Something is not quite right.”