- Keown says Arsenal are in desperate need of a striker in the January window
- The Gunners missed several opportunities to score against Liverpool on Sunday
- It’s about survival! FA Cup replays must remain for the good of English football – It’s All Kicking Off
Martin Keown says Arsenal are in desperate need of a striker after watching the Gunners struggle to score against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday evening.
The Gunners missed several opportunities to score and ended losing the game 2-0 following an own goal from Jakub Kiwior in the 80th minute and a stoppage-time strike from Luis Diaz.
Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all came up short in a game where Mikel Arteta‘s side registered an xG of 1.89 – meaning they have scored just one goal from 6.47xG over the last three games.
Keown was particularly disappointed with Havertz’s performance and said he was surprised by Arteta’s decision to keep the German international on the pitch for so long – eventually replacing him with Emile Smith Rowe in the 88th minute.
Keown said Arsenal could have been at the Emirates ‘until midnight and they still wouldn’t have scored’, highlighting the fact they need to purchase a striker in the January window.
Martin Keown says Arsenal are in desperate need of signing a striker in the January window
The Gunners missed several opportunities to score against Liverpool on Sunday evening
Keown was particularly disappointed with Kai Havertz’s performance in the FA Cup clash
Speaking after the game, Keown said:’ If ever a game underlined the deficiencies in front of goal from Arsenal that was it. The approach play was excellent but I was surprised Kai Havertz wasn’t taken off early on.
He went on to add: ‘Arsenal had so many chances, this could have been a wonderful start for the Gunners. It felt as though you could have been there until midnight and Arsenal wouldn’t have scored.
‘It’s not just one player, it’s a group of players. To go into the market is the obvious thing to talk about. It was chance after chance. Liverpool only had two or three shots but they were more emphatic in front of goal.’
Arsenal fans were in agreement…