Ex-Premier League star Joe Cole (Picture: TNT Sports)
Joe Cole has changed his Premier League title prediction after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle United and urged Mikel Arteta to drop Leandro Trossard for the upcoming games against Inter Milan and Chelsea.
Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes are threatening to implode after the Gunners lost 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Arteta’s side, seeking a first league title since 2004, enjoyed a promising start to the season but have now picked up just one point from their last three games.
Their latest disappointment was sparked by Alexander Isak, who rose well in the box to head home Antony Gordon’s superb cross and give Newcastle a fourth win from ten league games.
Ex-England star Cole predicted Arsenal would win the Premier League before the season started but admits he is ‘having a change of heart’ following their recent wobble.
Cole believes Arteta should make a few changes for the upcoming Champions League clash with Inter and next weekend’s London derby against Chelsea, with Trossard making way following a subdued performance at St James’ Park.
‘I thought Newcastle were absolutely brilliant today,’ Cole told TNT Sports after the 1-0 win. ‘On the ball, off the ball, they were great.
Alexander Isak scored the winner as Newcastle beat Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
‘I think this is a season-turning result for Newcastle. A lot of people tipped Arsenal for the league, me included, but I’m second-guessing that now after what I saw today.
‘They need to go back, take ownership and lift themselves ahead of a huge week now. Going to Milan and playing Chelsea who have been in great form.
‘They could find themselves ten points adrift. I’m sure Mikel will make changes because Trossard was off it today, he’s fantastic but there will be changes.’
Asked if he has changed his mind about the Premier League title race, Cole added: ‘I’ve had a change of heart, yeah. I’m not doing a full reversal yet but I’m having a change of heart.’
Leandro Trossard in action at St James’ Park (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal legend Martin Keown also fears for his former club’s title hopes after they were beaten by Newcastle.
‘Obviously it’s still early but it’s a long way back now with that lead Man City and Liverpool have already got,’ Keown said.
‘It was thoroughly disappointing from Arsenal. They didn’t impose their personality on the game at all.
‘Credit to Newcastle. Arsenal just didn’t show up today, they didn’t get going and they’ve only got themselves to blame.
Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal’s damaging defeat (Picture: Getty)
‘Arsenal need to create more. There were a lot of disappointing performances out there. They didn’t turn up, they didn’t play like champions.
‘I wonder if there will be some changes, Ethan [Nwaneri] came on and did quite well, Trossard didn’t have his usual game. There are players who can came in.
‘There’s things the manager can do but he needs to find a better balance. All credit to Newcastle but arsenal were not good enough today.’
Arteta admitted his team ‘deserved to lose’ at St James’ Park and said he was ‘very frustrated’ as the Gunners slipped up again in the title race.
Newcastle moved into the top-half of the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
‘We deserved to lose today,’ he said. ‘I thought we started really well and were really dominant.
‘We didn’t defend the box well enough. Credit to them. They scored a great goal with a good ball.
‘Then the game changes and you start to play a different game. You have to adapt and we didn’t do that well enough. I am very frustrated.
‘We got dragged into a game they are looking for constantly and we couldn’t play the game that we wanted.
‘We had two big chances – Mikel had a big one, Declan had a big one. We lacked answers.’
Asked how he wants his Arsenal team to respond to the defeat, Arteta added: ‘We can say whatever we want.
‘We will struggle to find the words today. We have to show it on the pitch on Wednesday night. You have to be at your best every time to give yourself a chance to win.’
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