Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petit has highlighted the two Gunners players he believes are not up to the standard required to win a Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta's men have been involved in the last two title races, narrowly missing out on Manchester City on both occasions, despite scoring 84 points in the 2022/2023 season and 89 the following season.
City's dramatic decline this season, which at one point saw them go winless in seven games, has been something of a gift for the Gunners as Pep Guardiola's side are well and truly out of contention.
But Arsenal have failed to capitalize on their rivals' misfortunes and currently sit third on 36 points, behind Nuno Espirito Santo's Nottingham Forest.
Instead, it has been Liverpool who have climbed the table under new manager Arne Slot, catapulting themselves into an eight-point lead at the top in 2025 with three straight wins to round out the year.
Petit has now explained why the Gunners fell behind the Reds, picking out the two stars who are 'not good enough to fight for the Premier League title' in an interview with Ladbrokes.
He said: 'Arsenal looked nervous at the start of the season. They made stupid mistakes in games and dropped stupid points. Easy red cards, you know. This cost them a lot of money.
“But when you lose Martin Odegaard, and you lose Bukayo Saka – your two best players – it's difficult to deal with that. Arsenal have a strong squad, but they don't have a bench like Liverpool.
'Saka's absence for a few weeks is a huge blow, but other players must come in now, step up and take responsibility.
“I've been waiting for some players to level up, and to be honest, I'm quite frustrated. I'm still waiting for them to reach the next level.
'For example, I think of Gabriel Martinelli. I'm not happy with Martinelli. A few days ago he played a good game against Crystal Palace, but that is not enough.
'If you look at his journey, and how he started in the first team, around the same time as Saka… if you look at how Saka has improved year on year and become one of the best players in the Premier League, I think: “when will that come from Martinelli?”
“He's not the only one; Gabriel Jesus is the same. He's been playing well lately, but that's not enough. I'm sorry, but that's not enough.'
Petit also warned that Arsenal's squad was not at Liverpool's level and that the Gunners would struggle to compete.
“If you want to win titles and compete for the best trophies every season, you need regularity and consistency in your performances and you need to take responsibility when your best players are injured,” he added. .
'A few players in that team are just not good enough to challenge for the title. That's my opinion. But with Arteta out of options, he has to play with them.
'Honestly, do you think Gabriel Martinelli would be in that Liverpool team? No. So how do you compete with that? Raise your level. You know, you've been at the club for years. You have the chance to play for one of the best clubs in Europe. Take your responsibility.
'Or, if you're not good enough, the club has to make a decision about you at the end of the season. I'm sorry to say it, but I'm sick and tired of seeing some of these guys sign contract extensions for four or five years. On which? Based on what?'
Petit told Martinelli to show more for the Gunners in Saka's absence.
'You play for Arsenal, you don't play for a mid-table team, you know? That means your expectations have to rise. Your mentality, everything, you have to bring more,” said the Frenchman.
'And if you can't do that, to me that means you don't have the talent to stay at Arsenal. I'm sorry to say that.
'We have seen his quality in bits and pieces, but it is not enough. He is still young and can recover quickly, so playing regularly is not a problem for him. Come on; you have to show more on the field.'
World Cup winner Petit made 118 appearances for Arsenal from 1997 to 2000, winning the Premier League and FA Cup in the early years of Arsene Wenger's tenure.
The Gunners have a chance to make it three wins on the spin with a trip to Brentford on New Year's Day, while Thomas Frank's men look to end their three-match winless run. Both Jesus and Martinelli will start in the front three along with Ethan Nwaneri.
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