'Grow a pair' - Gary Lineker questions Arsenal's mentality in Premier League title fight after latest collapse

Pep Guardiola’s proven winners could move to within touching distance of Arsenal on Saturday, when they play host to Newcastle, with the Gunners in derby action against arch-rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Nerves will be jangling in north London, with Arteta seeing his side surrender two precious points in dramatic fashion at Wolves last time out. Arsenal led 2-0 at Molineux, against rock-bottom opposition, but were pegged back and conceded an equaliser in the 94th minute.

Arsenal have won just two of their last seven Premier League games, allowing the chasing pack to close in behind them, and have finished as runners-up in each of the last three seasons. Lineker wants to see some bottle and fighting spirit on show at Emirates Stadium.

The former England striker and Match of the Day presenter has told The Rest Is Football podcast: “Do you think Arsenal just need to grow a pair? I know it’s easier said than done but get yourself together and be a bit more aggressive.

“Be a bit more on the front foot, especially when they get ahead. Is it just a mindset problem for Arsenal, is it a little stutter in the season which every team will go through at some point?

“I suspect they’ll still go on to win the title myself, but this might be a little shot in the arm that they need to sort out. Man City are now just the five points behind Arsenal and they have that game in hand.

“I suppose the question is can City be as consistently brilliant as they were when they won the title four seasons in a row, in that period that pretty much won every game after Christmas, you couldn’t see them dropping points. I’m not quite sure Man City are there or can be consistent enough to track Arsenal down.”

Lineker was speaking to the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, Alan Shearer. He responded with: “They’ll probably still win it, just. I think if you need a game after what has happened then it is not a bad one to have in your local rivals. I know they have a new manager and it is away, but what a response it would be to go and win at Tottenham at the weekend.

“I never expected Arsenal to do it the easy way, I always knew there were going to be bumps and everything else, nervy times. People are going to be chucking questions and bombs and you have to get over that. I did expect this to happen. Let’s see what they are made of.”

Shearer added on the pressure that Arteta is operating under: “If he doesn’t win the league he might not be at Arsenal. After the chances they have had to win it and finishing second, with what they have spent on the players they have got and the positions they are in, they have to win it.

“Mentally maybe it [the Champions League] would be an easier barrier to get over to win that rather than the Premier League because of what has happened to them in the Premier League.”

Piers Morgan is one of Arsenal’s more passionate supporters that fears another implosion is taking place at the Emirates. He said in a series of social media posts that were published in the wake of a disappointing draw at Wolves: “FFS. What are you doing, Arsenal? We’re choking. Again.

“Not good enough. If you want to be champions @Arsenal then wake the f*** up before it’s too late. Last night’s second half performance was worst I’ve seen for years. I excuse @_DeclanRice who showed the standard of drive/intensity the other players must meet.”

The fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04 were the last Arsenal side to deliver Premier League title glory. The class of 2025-26 are in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple - as they remain in the Champions League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup - but a hectic schedule and mounting expectations may be starting to take their toll.