"They blew it at the end" - Roy Keane suggests Arsenal gifted Tottenham chance to finish 4th in the Premier League last season
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has claimed that Arsenal crumbled under pressure and handed Tottenham Hotspur the fourth-place in the Premier League last season.
During the tail end of the 2021-22 campaign, the Gunners were four points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur with three matches to go. But after losing 3-0 away in the North London Derby, the Emirates Stadium outfit lost their bearings in May.
The Mikel Arteta-coached side went on to lose 2-0 against Newcastle United at St. James' Park, handing the advantage to Spurs. Despite a 5-1 victory over Everton on the final matchday of the season, Arsenal finished fifth with 69 points.
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur secured a UEFA Champions League spot by finishing fourth with 71 points. Speaking on Sky Bet (via Football London), Keane said:
"He [Antonio Conte] got a helping hand with Arsenal. They blew it at the end. They got themselves in a great position. As brilliant as Spurs did, Arsenal had it in their hands and they blew it."
In the ongoing transfer window, both the clubs have strengthened their ranks with new signings to boost their chances of finishing inside the top four.
Arsenal’s No.9: Gabriel Jesus
Tottenham’s No.9: Richarlison
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So far, Spurs have added forward Richarlison, centre-back Clement Lenglet, winger Ivan Perisic, midfielder Yves Bissouma and goalkeeper Fraser Forster to their roster. Meanwhile, the Gunners have completed the signings of striker Gabriel Jesus, midfielder Fabio Vieira, goalkeeper Matt Turner and forward Marquinhos.
Tottenham Hotspur are also close to signing Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence (via The Telegraph). Arsenal are currently monitoring Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez (via Sky Sports), Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer (via The Sun) and Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo (via Record).
Paul Merson rates Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur's summer transfer window so far
In his column for Sportskeeda, former player and pundit Paul Merson evaluated the summer transfer window activity of the two north London clubs.
Hailing the Gunners' summer, he wrote:
"I think Arsenal have done very well this summer. Gabriel Jesus is a massive coup for them but they do need a couple more signings. For the moment, they've ticked a few boxes in the transfer window. They needed a striker with Alexandre Lacazette and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang gone at the start of the season."
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As for Spurs, he added:
"Tottenham have had a very good transfer window so far. I'm not too sure about Richarlison, and I'd play Kulusevski ahead of him. Yves Bissouma is an unbelievable signing for them. I've seen him boss the midfield for Brighton, and they aren't nearly as consistent as Spurs. I'm a massive fan of Ivan Perisic. He's a top-draw player, and he works his socks off."