Former Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker has accused Mikel Arteta of adopting a tactic associated with Alex Ferguson in the push for the Premier League title. Arsenal are currently favourites to win the league for the first time since 2004, having opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the table with seven matches remaining. Despite their strong position, Arteta remains cautious, especially after a Carabao Cup final defeat before the international break highlighted the threat posed by Manchester City. Pep Guardiolas side still have a game in hand and are set to host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in a crucial clash that could significantly impact the title race. In recent days, several Arsenal players have withdrawn from international duty, raising questions about squad fitness ahead of a demanding run-in. Players such as Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are among those who have pulled out, joining others like William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhes. Speaking on his podcast, Lineker suggested that Arteta may be strategically managing his players availability. Interestingly a couple of Arsenal players have pulled out of this squad now I think Arteta is playing a Sir Alex role here, he said. Lineker was referring to Fergusons well-known approach during his time at Manchester United, where he often encouraged players to skip international friendlies to stay fit for club duties. All managers have done that but generally its down to the players, Lineker added. The manager would always pressure you to pull out of friendlies in particular. It happened to me a couple of times and on both occasions I said no chance. The post Barcelona Legend Gary Lineker accuses Arteta of using Sir Alex Ferguson Tactic to win EPL Title appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
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