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Wayne Rooney has urged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to disregard what he perceives as “very unfair” criticism directed at the Premier League leaders’ playing style.
The Gunners, currently seven points clear at the top of the table – albeit with Manchester City holding a game in hand – are also in contention for a quadruple after reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Mansfield on Saturday.
Arsenal’s tactical approach has recently drawn fire from various figures within football.
Former West Ham and Newcastle boss Alan Pardew last week accused Arteta’s side of delivering a “functional display” and suggested their perceived time-wasting tactics meant any league title triumph would come with an “asterisk”.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler also claimed Arsenal were “making their own rules” following his side’s 1-0 home defeat by the north London club last Wednesday.
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Arsenal have been accused of ‘making their own rules’ (PA Wire)
However, Rooney, speaking on the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show, dismissed these criticisms.
“The last league title we won we weren’t great as a team, but no one is going back to that now saying ‘oh, that Man United team who won that last title weren’t great,” he stated. “I don’t think they’ve been as bad as what people are saying, I really don’t.”
The former England captain emphasised that his defence was not born of favouritism for Arsenal.
“I’m not saying this because I like Arsenal, I’m saying this because I think it’s very unfair, the criticism they are receiving for being, what, seven points top of the league? If teams can’t deal with it, do it more. That’s what I’d be doing if I was Arteta.”
Rooney stressed that a title-chasing team’s priority should solely be winning.
“Their focus is just trying to win games in any way possible and when you’re going for the title I don’t think you have to worry about how anyone thinks about how you play, as long as you win.”
Addressing Arsenal’s physical approach to set pieces, Rooney added: “If the officials aren’t going to do anything to stop that, and I don’t even think it’s a royal rumble… If you’re not clever enough or you haven’t got the players who can deal with that, why would Arsenal not continue to do that?”
He concluded: “Teams are finding it difficult to stop it. It’s part of the game, I love it, I think it’s been great. I’m sure Arteta doesn’t think this but they don’t have to change anything because people are moaning and complaining about it.”