“I actually laughed when I read that” – Kevin Campbell hits out at Arsenal celebration jibe from Ruben Neves
Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves irked the Arsenal faithful when he insisted that the Gunners' post-match celebrations against his side went overboard.
After Wolves suffered a 1-0 defeat to the north Londoners last week, Neves suggested that his opponents' celebrations were indicative of their decline over the last decade.
Here's what the 24-year-old said:
“We saw the way they celebrated the win and that shows the level we are. I didn't see Arsenal celebrating like this in the past 10 years, it was like they won the league!”
However, former Gunners striker Kevin Campbell has described Neves' comments as 'laughable' and insisted that Liverpool had celebrated just as wildly earlier this season.
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In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Campbell was asked about his thoughts on Neves' comments. In response, he said:
"I actually laughed when I read that! Listen, players can say what they want – but it was a brilliant win. It’s a tough game against a good Wolves team at their patch, and Arsenal were down to ten men – why shouldn’t they celebrate?"
"They certainly weren’t celebrating like they’d won the league. If I remember rightly, when Liverpool beat them 1-0 at the Molineux in the last knockings, they celebrated quite heavily too."
The 52-year-old added:
"Winning away is hard, especially at a place like Wolves – maybe they should take it as a compliment. If it’s good enough for a team like Liverpool to celebrate, I think Arsenal can do it as well."
Mikel Arteta's side secured a 1-0 away victory over Wolves at the Molineux on Thursday. Gabriel Magalhaes' first-half strike proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The game was rocked by controversy following Gabriel Martinelli's second-half dismissal for two bookable offenses in the space of 30 seconds.
Resurgent Arsenal are back in the mix for a top-four finish
Arsenal have not always had the best of times this season, with large spells of inconsistent displays hampering their progress in the Premier League.
However, the Gunners have rediscovered their mojo in recent weeks, with a newfound grit seeing them register five wins and a draw from their last seven league games.
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This has put them back in the mix for UEFA Champions League qualification. Their cause has been further helped by the struggles of the teams around them, with neither Manchester United nor Tottenham Hotspur hitting the expected heights.
Arsenal currently occupy sixth place in the Premier League table, two points away from fifth-placed West Ham United and four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
The Gunners have not qualified for Europe's premier club competition since 2017, so a return to the top four this term will represent a major achievement for Mikel Arteta.
The north London giants will next face Brentford in the Premier League this Saturday.