Ex-Man Utd star criticises Arteta's costly decision in title race

Despite being on an impressive 15-match unbeaten run, the Gunners still trail league leaders Liverpool by seven points. The North London side secured another crucial victory on Saturday, defeating Leicester City 2-0 thanks to two late goals from Mikel Merino.

However, it was 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri who truly stood out, troubling Leicester's defence throughout the match and providing the assist for the opening goal.

Manchester United legend Ferdinand criticised Arteta for not introducing Nwaneri into the first team sooner, particularly during a period when Arsenal were struggling without Martin Odegaard, who was sidelined for two months with an ankle injury.

"Arsenal could be nearer to winning the league and closer to Liverpool if your manager played Nwaneri when Odegaard was injured," he stated on his YouTube channel.

The former England international argued that the teenager's attacking qualities could have significantly affected the club's results. "What he is doing… he is cooking defenders and teams. I think if he came in you would have got more points," Ferdinand insisted.

"Chuck him in and just see, what's the worst that can happen?" he questioned, pointing out that Arsenal were struggling for solutions when Odegaard was unavailable. As the title race intensifies, only time will tell if Arteta's cautious approach will prove to be a costly mistake.