![\"\"](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Troy-Deeney-79ef.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
\t<\/div>Troy Deeney has hit back at Arsenal supporters who have called on Mikel Arteta to drop Martin Zubimendi after the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Mikel Arteta\u2019s side delivered another unconvincing performance as Junior Kroupi put Bournemouth ahead before Viktor Gyokeres equalised from the penalty spot.<\/p>\n
Arsenal struggled to create clear-cut chances in the second half and Alex Scott sealed the win for Bournemouth in the 74th minute.<\/p>\n
The result means Arsenal remain nine points clear at the top of the Premier League but Manchester City now have two games in hand and also play the Gunners next Sunday.<\/p>\n
Responding to supporters calling for the club to sack Arteta during CBS Sports\u2019 post-match analysis, Deeney said: \u2018They\u2019re not going to sack him because he has moved that club astronomically forward from where it was, they\u2019re always in contention now and being spoken about as one of the best teams in world football, and rightly so.<\/p>\n \u2018But this is why Arsenal fans\u2026 this is why I love you, and why you love me, because when it\u2019s right and when they\u2019re winning they\u2019re hammering me, now\u2026 \u2018sack him\u2019?! He\u2019s top of the league, they\u2019re in the Champions League, now it\u2019s, \u2018sack him, get rid of him\u2019. Who are you going to bring in?<\/p>\n \u2018I just want to ask you this question Arsenal fans, remember before [they said] they didn\u2019t have any strikers? Gyokeres, Havertz and Jesus all played today, I said he [Gyokeres] would score in these games, it\u2019s the big games that matter, has he scored against Liverpool yet, has he scored against Man City yet?\u2019<\/p>\n CBS Sports\u2019 host, Adam Hunt, then read out criticism from an Arsenal fan towards Zubimendi, who has impressed since his \u00a360 million move last summer.<\/p>\n \u2018Arsenal have a bad No.6 in Zubimendi and they don\u2019t have a main man leading their attack,\u2019 Hunt said.<\/p>\n Deeney replied with a laugh: \u2018Oh my god, a bad No.6 in Zubimendi?<\/p>\n \u2018Literally a week ago, Nigel Reo Coker, who played the position to an unbelievable level, talking about he [Zubimendi] is one of the best players in Europe.<\/p>\n \u2018Also Arsenal fans, three weeks ago, talking about he is the signing of the season, most underrated signing. What are we doing here?\u2019<\/p>\n Deeney also responded to an Arsenal fan who criticised Arteta for leaving Christian Norgaard on the bench.<\/p>\n \u2018There\u2019s an Arsenal fan out there that thinks the reason they\u2019re not winning is because Norgaard is not playing?\u2019 he asked with a smile.<\/p>\n \u2018They\u2019re calling for Norgaard\u2026 they\u2019re calling for a holding midfielder.\u2019<\/p>\n Deeney also believes there is now a \u2018nervous energy\u2019 in the Arsenal squad following the defeat to Bournemouth.<\/p>\n \u2018I think when you go back, moments like Declan Rice after games, he was videoed saying, \u2018happens all the time\u2019, City had lost and they drew the game [against Nottingham Forest], he knows these are key moments,\u2019 Deeney said.<\/p>\n \u2018Let\u2019s talk about the mental side of it from a player\u2019s point of view, you start to believe the hype after a little while.<\/p>\n \u2018Let\u2019s use Declan as an example, he\u2019s one of the best all-round midfielders in world football, probably in the top five, you start to hear maybe he will win a Ballon d\u2019Or, maybe this year he wins three or four trophies and the World Cup, Bukayo Saka has just got a brand new contract, you start to believe this is your season.<\/p>\n Sporting CP (H) | Champions League | April 15 \u2018The one thing mentally that happens with Arsenal and Arsenal\u2019s fanbase is because they\u2019ve been so close over the last four years, it gets nervy, as a player you get tight, as a player you want it so bad to end up doing less by trying to do more.<\/p>\n \u2018I think they have leaders but I don\u2019t think they have those types of leaders [Frank Lampard, John Terry and Vincent Kompany] because I don\u2019t think those types of leaders are in the game any more. I think they have the new version of what leaders look like, Gabriel, Saliba, Raya to an extent, Rice, you\u2019re talking about top players who know what it\u2019s like and will probably be captains for the national teams going forward, Jurrien Timber as well, he\u2019s been a big miss, no one\u2019s talking about that, he\u2019s gone out and that whole back line looks a little bit weaker and that whole right side has stopped in terms of attacking prowess as well.<\/p>\n \u2018I think now every single one of them would have to say there\u2019s a nervous energy. There is, they\u2019re humans, they\u2019ve gone from being clear favourites, quadruple three weeks ago to, \u2018do you think we\u2019ll win anything?\u2019. That\u2019s the kind of conversation that will be happening now.<\/p>\n \u2018As a player you can front it, \u2018we\u2019ll be okay, on to the next one\u2019, but when you drive home and you listen to the radio, you go on Instagram, you\u2019re getting all this, it plays a little bit in the back of your mind. You might act like you don\u2019t hear it but they hear everything.\u2019<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on ![\"EDITORIAL](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292766665-0eb5.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
\t<\/div>![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_292768317-4aae.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tArsenal’s next three fixtures\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
Man City (A) | Premier League | April 19
Newcastle United (H) | Premier League | April 25<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\nFacebook,\u00a0<\/strong>Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/strong>.<\/p>\n