Ex-Arsenal legend and pundit Ian Wright has hit out at Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, describing the player’s time at the North London club as an absolute nightmare.
The Armenian midfielder has only started 15 Premier League games for the Gunners this season, making 32 appearances, many as a substitute, in all competitive competitions.
During this time, the number 7 has scored 6 goals and grabbed 6 assists for the club, which many fans may see as a solid performance.
However, given Mkhitaryan joined the club in a swap deal for Alexis Sanchez, fans and pundits alike may feel somewhat disappointed at the player’s season.
In the interview, Wright had harsh words for Mkhitaryan despite the North London club’s scrappy win to get a vital 3 points. According to Express, he said:
“He’s come in and we know he’s a quality operator but it’s just not happened,”
“Between these two [Mkhitaryan and Sanchez], they’ve both had an absolute nightmare. Honestly, they’ve had an absolute nightmare.”
“Even if that’s the case, then you’d have to say with the assists, it’s not enough.”
Some fans might call Wright a harsh critic of Mkhitaryan given his created goals number in double digits but in realty, the 30-year-old has failed to replicate his form from his Borussia Dortmund days.
In Germany, as a key part of the squad, prior to his move to Manchester United, the player managed an extremely impressive 13 goals and 20 assists in 42 appearances.
Fans may be left wondering whether the player should stay at the club in the upcoming summer transfer window, especially given the Gunners strong interest in creative players like David Neres and young talent like Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ impressive performances.
Despite fans’ discontent, the player may be forced to stay with the departure of Aaron Ramsey potentially leaving a hole in midfield options for Unai Emery.
With only a few games left in the season, there will be little time for Mkhitaryan to prove his critics wrong, but after the player’s game against Watford, it might prove to be an uphill battle.
