Paul Merson branded Thomas Partey as ‘atrocious’ for his part in Aston Villa’s equaliser during their 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Saturday night.
Mikel Arteta’s side appeared to be on course to secure back-to-back wins as goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put the Gunners two in front.
However, Villa pulled a goal back through Youri Tielemans before Ollie Watkins capitalised on poor defending from Thomas Partey to volley past David Raya from close range.
VAR then denied Arsenal a late winner as Havertz deflected Mikel Merino’s shot past Emi Martinez but replays showed that the ball struck the Germany international’s arm.
The draw against Villa has left Arsenal six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who beat Brentford 2-0 earlier on Saturday and also have a game in hand.
‘They shouldn’t have needed that spark, they’re 2-0 up,’ Merson said after Arsenal’s draw.
‘The defending for the goals, especially for the Partey goal, is just not good enough.
‘You’re 2-1 up, they’ve got back in the game, then you’ve got to be solid, you’ve got to try everything you can, you’ve got to pick players up, and for me it’s too easy, it’s just too lackadaisical.
‘If you want to win Premier Leagues you’ve got to be on it every day of the week, every weekend, you’ve got to be up and turn up, and you’ve got to make it hard.
‘When we look back on the goal with Partey, the second goal… it’s atrocious.
‘I’m starting to think now have they got that little… to win a Premier League, to win any league is hard, it’s hard, you’ve got to keep turning out week in week out, anybody wins cups, a draw wins you the FA Cup, a draw wins you the Carabao Cup, but the league is week in week out, you’ve got to be prepared to put yourself there and defend and makes sure he doesn’t score.
‘Merino lets Tielemans runs past him and then Partey when we watch it again, I can’t believe it.’
Merson went on to add of Partey’s error: ‘He just leaves him. He has played for one of the most defensively disciplined teams in Europe in Atletico Madrid, he’s a holding midfield player, a defensive midfield player, he should see danger.
‘You cannot do that, that can’t win you league titles, it’s just phenomenal what he’s done. I could understand if it was a young kid who has just got in the team, this man has played for Atletico Madrid, that’s his game, discipline, and he’s gone and done that.
‘You’re in a league title race, when you’re in the box defending you say, ‘that’s my man, he doesn’t score’. You take responsibility but he just leave him. You won’t see a worse defensive goal this weekend.’
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