Alan Pardew has doubled down on his \u2018asterisk\u2019 claim about Arsenal and has responded to stinging criticism from Laura Woods about his previous comments on Mikel Arteta\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Pardew was far from impressed with the performance of Arsenal<\/a> in their 1-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion at the American Express Stadium in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n The former Newcastle United and West Ham United manager was on commentary duty during the game for talkSPORT, and his assessment of Arsenal this season was brutal.<\/p>\n Pardew said: \u201cWhen I look at them with my football manager head on, they\u2019re very professional.<\/p>\n \u201cThey do every bit of gamesmanship to get it over the line.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment, it looks like Arsenal are going to see it through. But there\u2019ll be an asterisk next to their name.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Van Dijk, Haaland, Fernandes all lead key statistics in the 2025\/26 Premier League<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a professional, functional display. They\u2019re good and powerful, but there is nothing beautiful about them.\u201d<\/p>\n TV presenter Laura Woods, who is an Arsenal fan, called in on the radio station and hammered Pardew.<\/p>\n Woods said: \u201cAlan, I love you, but that is the most disrespectful thing I\u2019ve ever heard.<\/p>\n \u201cHow can you say that? Because we take free-kicks, set-pieces and corners? I don\u2019t understand the thought process.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Arsenal win the league, none of us fans care how we\u00a0do it. I don\u2019t care if you lot don\u2019t enjoy watching us.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would we care if we\u2019re entertaining or not?\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:\u00a0Key dates as Arsenal and Manchester City go in search of the elusive quadruple<\/a><\/p>\n