Arsenal Legend Criticizes Peter Schmeichel’s Comments on Gunners’ Playing Style

Martin Keown responded angrily to former Manchester United and City goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel after he criticized Arsenal’s style of play. Schmeichel recently described Arsenal’s approach as “annoying” and “ugly” following their 1-0 loss to Liverpool before the international break. The goal was scored by Dominik Szoboszlai with an impressive free kick in an otherwise subdued match at Anfield, where both teams largely canceled each other out.

Schmeichel expressed hope that Liverpool’s victory was beneficial, claiming Arsenal’s tactics made him hope for Liverpool’s success. He further criticized Mikel Arteta’s team, describing their style as “annoying” and “ugly,” asserting that it was designed to exploit opponents’ mistakes and slow down the game. He added: “I’ve never in my life ever wanted a team to win more than Liverpool today. Arsenal bring an ugly brand of football to our game.”

In response, Keown, a three-time Premier League winner with Arsenal, defended his former club. He argued that although Arsenal need to adopt a more aggressive attitude, Schmeichel’s comments were excessive. Keown suggested that Arsenal are still in the title race and highlighted the team’s recent progress. He cheekily referenced the back-pass rule change in 1992—implying Schmeichel was an advocate of the rule—and noted that Arsenal currently looks strong despite injuries.

Keown also criticized Schmeichel’s negative view, calling his remarks “deranged,” and defended Arsenal’s style of play. He encouraged boss Mikel Arteta to let his team play more freely, confident that this approach would lead to more victories. He remarked, “Let your team play football! Let them loose, let them be free. I am absolutely convinced that if Arteta does this, they will win more games.”

Recently, Arsenal recruited attackers Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze, and started the season with a 5-0 home win over Leeds. The Gunners are set to host Nottingham Forest before beginning their Champions League campaign against Athletic Bilbao.

Martin Keown has responded to Schmeichel’s harsh comments on Arsenal’s playing style.

Schmeichel criticized Arsenal’s style after their loss to Liverpool.