Mikel Arteta ‘jumping around on the sideline’ doesn’t help Arsenal’s composure in big

Gary Neville has slammed Mikel Arteta for his lack of ‘composure’ during Arsenal’s draw in the north London derby. 

Arteta’s side were held to a 2-2 draw with rivals Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, after Bukayo Saka‘s brace was cancelled out by Son Heung-Min‘s double.

For both goals, Arsenal struck first before Spurs fired back in quick succession – with the Son’s second coming just one minute after Saka’s. 

And, reflecting on the match, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville suggested that Arteta’s antics on the sideline did little to help his team’s chances in the match. 

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast said: ‘I want to see a composure from this Arsenal team and that’s difficult because the manager’s on the sideline jumping around like you wouldn’t believe. 

Gary Neville (above) dissected Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with rivals Tottenham during his podcast

Neville suggested Mikel Arteta’s touch-line antics did little to help Arsenal hold their lead

Tottenham scored both of their goals just moments after Arsenal had struck in the game 

‘I want to see passion, but I want to see composure and a coldness, and that feels like a contradiction. But I want to see it in the right moments at the right times.

‘When they scored that second goal, Saka’s penalty, which was a beautiful penalty, celebrate it, give your fans something because they want to see it means something.

‘But there should be two or three senior players in that group saying, ‘Right, come on. Switch on now, we’re ready and we’re going to see this through’. Your mentality kicks in of knowing when a game’s in danger’.

After the break, Saka struck from the spot following a Cristian Romero handball before Son levelled one minute later.

The South Korean placed his effort into the Arsenal goal after James Maddison stole the ball off Jorginho deep inside the hosts’ half. 

The celebrations had barely ended before the Spurs captain levelled the scoring, and it lead to Neville questioning Arsenal’s ‘mentality’. 

Neville continued: ‘Rice had gone off at half-time and that presented a danger, so should Jorginho have been left there almost last man on the ball for Son’s second equaliser? Maybe, maybe not.

‘He should have done better himself, of course, but when you concede a goal a minute after one going in, that’s what I’m talking about, that mentality. They didn’t get set again.’

Elsewhere, Aaron Ramsdale’s father has hit back at Jamie Carragher after the Sky Sports pundit claimed he was ‘laughing’ at the Arsenal goalkeeper on Sunday afternoon.

James Maddison (L) stole the ball off Jorginho (R) to help create Tottenham’s second goal

Bukayo Saka scored a brace on the day but was unable to secure his side all three points

Ramsdale was an unused substitute during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with rivals Tottenham, with summer signing David Raya being preferred to the England international. 

And, despite the fact he may be losing out on his No.1 spot at the Emirates, Ramsdale showed a heap of support for his team-mate during the tense North London Derby.

During post-match analysis, on Sky, Carragher said: ‘I thought it was like the Oscars, you know when someone loses the Oscar and they start clapping and smiling for the other person. I was laughing when I saw that. He’s absolutely devastated with that really.’ 

Later that evening, Nick Ramsdale replied to a Tweet about Carragher’s comments and said: ‘You are a Disgrace!! Show some class!! My lad has’.