Ian Wright has hit out at his fellow pundits for criticising Arsenal’s celebrations after Sunday’s win over Liverpool and says Mikel Arteta and his team should be allowed to enjoy the moment.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all got on the scoresheet to help the Gunners win 3-1 and close the gap on Liverpool and Man City at the top of the Premier League table.
Arteta was overcome with emotion after the final whistle, while Martin Odegaard proceeded to have some fun with the club photographer at the end of the game, taking pictures of him celebrating at the Emirates.
Rio Ferdinand also took aim at the Arsenal squad before ripping into Arteta for doing ‘laps of the ground’ before celebrating as though the Gunners had won the Premier League.
Ian Wright has hit out at his fellow pundits for criticising Arsenal’s celebrations after Sunday’s win over Liverpool and says Mikel Arteta and his team should be allowed to enjoy the moment
Bukayo Saka , Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all got on the scoresheet to help the Gunners win 3-1 and close the gap on Liverpool and Man City at the top of the table
Arsenal manager, Arteta, was overcome with emotion after the final whistle on Sunday
Wright was furious with the reaction to Arsenal’s celebrations and took to social media to say his former side were well within their rights to ‘enjoy’ the moment – stating ‘you lot can take the p**s if it doesn’t happen like you normally do. Leave us alone’.
In the video which was shared to X, Wright was heard saying: ‘The negativity towards my manager man, what has he done apart from celebrating a goal and celebrating his team?
‘Celebrating a team that is trying to beat these juggernauts, Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League.
‘And because he’s celebrating? Because Martin Odegaard is taking a picture with Stuart the photographer? A lifelong Gunner.
‘This man [Stuart the photographer] has been supporting Arsenal since he was five or something ridiculous like that.
‘Just taking a picture in front of the north bank, what’s wrong with the captain [Martin Odegaard] doing that?
‘It’s got nothing to do with the fact that we’ve just beaten Liverpool, that’s just an opportunity. Why is everybody trying to kill the joy? Don’t kill the joy.
‘There’s so much of the season to go. As soon as Arsenal do anything they just come under a pile-on. It’s like we can’t have any joy.
Martin Odegaard proceeded to have some fun with the club photographer at the end of the game, taking pictures of him celebrating at the Emirates
However, pundits such as Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand hit out at Arsenal
‘It’s like England at a World Cup or a Euros, as soon as England start doing well everyone is jumping on them!
‘It’s the same thing that happens with Arsenal. Don’t let them spoil the joy. Keep doing what you’re doing. Whatever is going to be will be. Do not kill the joy.
‘My manager, celebrate with passion like you do, because that’s what it’s about.
‘People are expecting us to bottle it and lose these games and we’re going through it, we’re getting ourselves through, through injuries and everything, and the hatred is just so intense.
‘Just leave us alone. You lot can take the p**s if it doesn’t happen like you normally do. Leave us alone in the joy.
‘Enjoy Arsenal fans! Enjoy our moments! Because that’s all this game is: moments. And we had one tonight, we beat the great Liverpool who are top of the league. Up the Gunners!’
Wright felt the need to defend Arteta after the likes of Richard Keys hit out at the Arsenal manager on beIN Sports for his post-match celebrations.
Speaking after Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, Keys said: ‘I have hesitated to this point, but now you’ve got me.
Carragher felt that Odegaard should ‘get down the tunnel’ after the victory, not take pictures
However, Wright said it was nice for the captain to celebrate with the club photographer
Rio Ferdinand also took aim at the Arsenal squad before ripping into Arteta for doing ‘laps of the ground’ before celebrating as though the Gunners had won the Premier League
‘Today [Sunday] is definitely worth celebrating, they’ve beaten one of the big teams and the title race opens up as a result.
‘But I do wish Arteta would behave a lot better than he does, he has returned to being the way he was persistently last year.
‘I just wish he had a little more class about him,’ in a damning indictment of the Spanish manager’s displays of emotion on the touchline.’
Carragher also hit out at Odegaard for his post-match celebrations, claiming the Arsenal star should ‘just get down the tunnel.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher said: ‘Just get down the tunnel! You’ve won a big game, you’ve got the three points, you’re back in the title race.
‘Just get down the tunnel. I’m being serious, honestly.’
Neville agreed with Carragher, saying Arsenal’s post-match celebrations were excessive before stating they could do with ‘calm’ heads in the dressing room.
Neville said: ‘I always doubted whether this Arsenal team [could win the title], just looking at some of the things that were happening.
Gary Neville said that Arsenal’s celebrations on Sunday were a sign of immaturity
‘The over-celebrations against Aston Villa [after the 4-2 win in February]. I look at little things that might look a little bit harsh.
‘Oleksandr Zinchenko celebrating an hour after the game with the fans outside the stadium and screaming.
‘You want your leaders in the team, who have been there before to spread composure around the dressing room and calm everybody down.
‘You don’t want them to lift the anxiety, lift the emotion.’
