Martin Keown Slams Man United Legend's “Deranged” Criticism of Arsenal

Arsenal’s narrow defeat to Liverpool at Anfield has sparked a war of words between two Premier League legends, with former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel launching a scathing attack on Mikel Arteta’s tactical approach — and ex-Gunner Martin Keown firing back with equal force.

🗣️ Schmeichel’s Scathing Remarks

Speaking on ViaPlay after Arsenal’s 1–0 loss, Schmeichel didn’t hold back in his assessment of the Gunners’ style of play.

“Arsenal bring an ugly brand of football to our game,” he said. “It’s designed to exploit opponents’ mistakes while waiting for set pieces. Then they take their time and take the tempo out of the game.”

The Danish legend went so far as to say he had “never in [his] life ever wanted a team to win a game of football more than Liverpool today,” urging Arteta to “let [his] team play football” and “be free.”

🚨🗣️ 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Schmeichel: "I don't want to insult Arsenal but their brand of football is SO ANNOYING to watch, it's designed to exploit opponents while waiting for set pieces." pic.twitter.com/2S06nDAB11

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 31, 2025

🔥 Keown Hits Back: “That’s Deranged”

Martin Keown, speaking on TalkSPORT, dismissed Schmeichel’s comments as wildly exaggerated and lacking perspective.

“I think that’s deranged, what he’s talking about,” Keown said. “Wasn’t it early that they changed the back-pass rule in 1992 because it was him that was one of the advocates of that? Everyone kept passing it back to him — that was ugly as well.”

While Keown admitted Arsenal need to be more aggressive in big games, he defended the club’s evolution under Arteta and insisted they’re on the right path.

“Arsenal are a long way down the line to being successful. It’s not lucky Arsenal anymore, by the way, with all these injuries. That will clear up and they’ve now got a squad to go the distance.”

🎙️ Walcott Weighs In

Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott also chimed in, suggesting Schmeichel’s bitterness may stem from Arsenal’s win at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

“Well, it worked at Man United so maybe Schmeichel is a bit sour from that result,” Walcott said on the It’s Called Soccer! podcast. “There are times when it works… this is the dynamic, and where I feel Mikel Arteta is at this moment in time.”

🩺 Saliba Injury Adds to Arsenal’s Woes

The defeat at Anfield wasn’t just a tactical talking point — it came with a physical blow. William Saliba limped off within five minutes, and reports from L’Equipe suggest he’ll be sidelined for three to four weeks with a sprained ankle.

Saliba has already missed France’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine and will miss the upcoming clash with Iceland. Arsenal are expected to be without him for at least three more matches, including their return fixture against Nottingham Forest.

🔄 Defensive Depth Tested

With Saliba out, Arsenal may turn to newly signed Piero Hincapie, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen late in the transfer window. Cristhian Mosquera, who replaced Saliba at Anfield, impressed under pressure and could also be in line for more minutes.

Arteta’s defensive reshuffle will be crucial as the Gunners look to bounce back and maintain their title challenge — even as critics like Schmeichel continue to question their methods.